Plastic surgery company performs less painful, invasive procedure

Global Business

Three Colombian plastic surgeons have created an innovative method to grow skin grafts that can be used to cover skin defects and burns. The company they work for has received international recognition through an Internet startup competition. CCTV America’s Michelle Begue reports.

Eighteen-year-old Lady Esteffany Boton Antonio was born with a connective tissue disease which causes blisters on the skin. She has shown improvement after receiving a unique skin graft treatment.

Doctors at a Colombia engineering company created a method to cultivate skin grafts from a patient’s healthy skin to cover defects due to trauma or chronic disease.

The cost of the membrane is around $700, and its application doesn’t require anesthesia. The skin cell coated sheets will adhere to the body within 45 days.

The first successful trials in Colombia were conducted in 2008 with 10 patients. Last year, Keraderm won an Internet startup competition providing much needed funding to continue their work. They hope to expand to Europe, the United States, Chile, India and China.