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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1782540
Case Report

A Case Report of the First CEA Transplant in an HIV-Positive Burn Patient in South Africa Using a Novel Composite Culture Technique

Wayne George Kleintjes
1   Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University Medical School, Parow, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
2   Western Cape Provincial Adult Tertiary Burns Centre, Tygerberg Hospital, Tygerberg, Parow, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
,
Tarryn Kay Prinsloo
3   Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
4   Department of Emergency Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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Abstract

Resource-limited burn centers are usually devoid of cultured epithelial autografts (CEA) owing largely to prohibitive costs. A modified CEA technique at our burn center incorporated cost-effective, routinely-used dressings with favorable outcomes. One unknown concern was the immunosuppressive effect that extensive burns and potentially human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection may have on graft take. This case study reports on the graft take outcomes of the first CEA transplanted in an HIV-positive patient with extensive burns in South Africa, using this technique. Graft take was determined after 21 days at 80% and a long-term follow-up of 8 years indicated good pigmentation return and skin pliability. Delayed diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum caused partial graft loss; however, successful regrafting occurred after pyoderma gangrenosum treatment and eradication. The case was considered clinically successful. HIV may not directly affect graft take, but may result in immunosuppressive conditions that delay graft take success.

Keywords

cultured epithelial autografts - human immunodeficiency virus - pyoderma gangrenosum

Ethical Approval

The CEA application was approved for ongoing case studies and the publication of the related data by the Health Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University (REF: C15/01/001). Written informed patient consent was obtained from the patient and for the use of clinical figures for publishing or academic purposes.


Authors' Contributions

Both authors have contributed equally to the study design, data analysis/interpretation, and writing of manuscript. Additionally, W.G.K. was responsible for the conceptualization and collection of data, while T.K.P. also contributed by data preparation and literature acquisition.




Publication History

Article published online:
22 March 2024

© 2024. Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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