The reason is surprising Swiss hospital patients suddenly smell of fish

Geneva University Hospital (HUG) has been offering cod skin transplants to patients for a year now. This is supposed to help heal wounds - and, according to dermatologists, it really does help. However, there are side effects.

Keystone-SDA

18.08.2024, 10:17

SDA

Fish skin for wound healing: Geneva University Hospital (HUG) has been offering cod skin transplants to patients for a year. According to a doctor, the results are promising.

Around 70 such transplants have been carried out so far, said Damien Pastor, dermatologist and expert in wound care, to the Keystone-SDA news agency. Other university hospitals in Switzerland also use fish skins to heal wounds.

When he was approached by a representative of the Icelandic company that markets this cod-based skin substitute, he was rather reluctant, said Pastor. However, the result with his first patient convinced him.

The man had a large wound on his skull following the removal of a skin carcinoma. The bone was exposed and the risk of infection was very high. Within three weeks of the cod skin being placed on the wound, the healing process began again. After a second application and a final skin graft, the wound was completely closed.

Wound stinks of fish

According to Pastor, he met with very little disapproval when he suggested this somewhat unusual skin substitute to his patients. "You have to warn the patient and the nursing staff in advance: when you take the dressing off, it smells like fish," said the senior physician. However, the smell disappears completely after a week. There are also no visible scales on the skin afterwards.

In order to be used as a medical product, the fish skin is processed so that only the cell-free supporting structure, the so-called matrix, remains. "It's a bit like a scaffold," explains the dermatologist. This scaffold helps the body's own cells to migrate to the area of the wound and anchor themselves there. The fish skin will eventually integrate completely into the wound and thus accompany the healing process.

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Why cod? The first advantage of this fish is that its skin has a similar structure to human skin. As it contains no living cells, there is no risk of it being rejected due to an excessive immune reaction.

Cod caught in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean does not transmit pathogens to humans. The fish skin also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are said to have a strong anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect. This rapid, pain-relieving effect is still the subject of research.

The Icelandic company, which specializes in marketing these fish skins for medical purposes, takes care of the packaging process. The cod skins are cleaned with water and the scales are removed by hand. Finally, they are freeze-dried and then filled into sterile packaging.