GraftGuide is intact fish skin which is used to regenerate tissue on surgical, traumatic, and acute wounds.[3] Because there is no known risk of viral or prion disease transfer from North-Atlantic cod to humans, the fish skin only needs mild processing with our proprietary method.[2]
This process preserves the skin’s natural qualities[2], including: its three-dimensional structure, mechanical properties, molecular organization, and composition.[1-4]
GraftGuide promotes healing with minimal impairment of functionality and positive cosmetic outcomes.[4] The product is homologous to human skin[1] and when applied to damaged tissue, such as a burns or wounds, helps to support the body’s own cells to regenerate tissue.[5-12]
GraftGuide Benefits
Provides a natural microbial barrier[1], protecting against environmental insults
Preserves the structure and porosity of the fish skin graft[1], ideal for cellular ingrowth[1][10]
Adheres to burn wounds in a variety of shapes and sizes, including mobile joints
Resists shearing forces, allowing early physiotherapy[10]
Supports the restoration of the skin’s pigmentation, while minimizes scarring [4][6] [10-12][15]
GraftGuide Product Variations
Solid
The intact fish-skin graft in various sizes
Micro
The intact fish skin that has been fragmented. It offers more surface area than the non-fragmented version and is designed to adhere to and fill deep wound spaces and irregular geometries.
Mano
The intact fish-skin graft in the shape of the hand to easily allow application on its complex 3D structure. Available in two sizes, medium and large, and in either left or right versions, for use in palmar or dorsum applications. Designed to reduce operation time when managing burn injuries.
Meshed 2:1
2:1 pre-meshed intact fish-skin graft designed to expand and cover larger wounds. Provides a viable clinical and economic solution for large wounds.
Indications
- Partial- and full-thickness wounds
- Trauma wounds (including second-degree burns)
- Surgical wounds (donor sites/grafts, post-Mohs surgery, post-laser surgery, podiatric, wound dehiscence)
GraftGuide can be used in the following ways
Secondary Intention
Bridging
Primary Closure
Need more information?
From the town of Ísafjörður in northwest Iceland, Kerecis develops, manufactures, and distributes patented fish-skin medical devices that support soft tissue regeneration in the body, with regulatory clearance in the United States, Europe, and beyond.
Important Information
Magnusson, S., Baldursson, B. T., Kjartansson, H., Rolfsson, O. & Sigurjonsson, G. F. Regenerative and Antibacterial Properties of Acellular Fish Skin Grafts and Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane: Implications for Tissue Preservation in Combat Casualty Care. Mil. Med. 182, 383–388 (2017).
Baldursson, B. T. et al. Healing rate and autoimmune safety of full-thickness wounds treated with fish skin acellular dermal matrix versus porcine small-intestine submucosa: a non-inferiority study. Int. J. Low. Extrem. Wounds 14, (2015).
Magnusson, S. et al. Decellularized fish skin: characteristics that support tissue repair. Laeknabladid 101, 567–573 (2015).
Alam K, Jeffery SLA. Acellular Fish Skin Grafts for Management of Split Thickness Donor Sites and Partial Thickness Burns: A Case Series. Mil Med. 2019;184(Suppl 1):16-20 (2019).
Pujji O, Jeffery SLA, Safe burn excision prior to military repatriation: an achievable goal? BMJ Military Health 2018;164: 358-359 (2018).
Shupp JW, McLawhorn MM, Burkey SE, Kjartansson H. Fish Skin Compared to Cadaver Skin as a Temporary Covering for Full Thickness Burns: An Early Feasibility Trial. Poster presented at: AMUS 2020 Annual Meeting December 6, 2020, Virtual.
Badois, N. et al. Acellular fish skin matrix on thin-skin graft donor
sites: a preliminary study. J Wound Care 28, 624–628 (2019).
Kirsner, R. S. et al. Fish skin grafts compared to human amnion/chorion membrane allografts: A double-blind, prospective, randomized clinical trial of acute wound healing. Wound Repair Regen 28, 75–80 (2020).
Lullove EJ, et al. A multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of Omega-3–rich fish skin in the treatment of chronic, nonresponsive diabetic foot ulcers. Wounds. Published online April 15, 2021.
Wallner C. et al. A Comparison of Intact Piscine Skin, Split-thickness Skin Graft, and Lactic Acid Membrane in Treating Superficial and Deep Burn Wounds Following Enzymatic Debridement, J Burn Care Res, 2021; 42 (Suppl 1): 125-126
Stone, R. et al. Omega-3 Rich Fish Skin Grafts Reduce Donor Skin Requirements for Full Thickness Burns. J. Burn Care Res. 39, S234–S235 (2018).
Stone R 2nd, Saathoff EC, Larson DA, et al. Accelerated Wound Closure of Deep Partial Thickness Burns with Acellular Fish Skin Graft. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(4):1590. Published 2021 Feb 4.
Magnusson, S., Christopher Winters, D. P. M., Baldursson, B. T., Kjartansson, H., Rolfsson, O., & Sigurjonsson, G. F. Acceleration of wound healing through utilization of fish skin containing omega-3 fatty acids. Today’s Wound Clinic, 10(5) (2016).
Lantis JC, Sigurdardottir RS, Haflidadottir IL, et al. : Fish skin Omega3’s induce cell migration and transcription of ALOX15 – a specialized pro-resolving mediator forming lipoxygenase. Symp Adv Wound Care Fall Meet Oct 20–22 Las Vegas Poster Present (2017).
Wang, Y., Beekman, J., Hew, J., Jackson, S., Issler-Fisher, A. C., Parungao, R., Lajevardi, S. S., Li, Z. & Maitz, P. K. Burn injury: challenges and advances in burn wound healing, infection, pain and scarring. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 123, 3-17 (2018).