Skin donation,, you can do it!

I have been spending some time on the PS board because i am looking into a TT and am waiting on insurance right now.  I have been trying to learn all i can about it and there are some PS Doctors that post on there some time, their info is so helpful and i found some posts today that i wanted to share with those having and looking into having PS.  There has been alot of talk about donating skin and most people say the skin after being obese isnt useable,  here is a link this Dr. posted and it is a tissue bank, on the bottom right you will find a link that says "Skin Donation Following Weight Loss Program"  click on it and you can send them your info to find out if they can use your skin.  Your PS of course has to be interested in participating in the program but they say that several people can be helped with just one tissue donation.  How great would that be to know that our excess skin could save some ones life or make their life better.  WOW!  here is the info:  http://mtf.org/index.html this is the Dr. that posted the info:  John LoMonaco, M.D., F.A.C.S. Houston, Texas

www.BodyLiftHouston.com www.DrLoMonaco.com

His website has a  downloadable document called "Tips for getting insurance approval" listed under patient resources. Hugs, Carla

Carla, Thanks! I filled out the form to see if I'd qualify. I'd rather see some burn patient be helped from all this skin than it be destroyed. I'll let you know if I hear anything...you do the same, ok? I tried the link for www.DrLoMonaco.com  and it wouldn't come up. The other links were very interesting though! Sherri

Dr. LoMonaco is the PS that is on the TV show Big Medicine. There are a couple of hospitals in Galveston Texas that ask for donated skin...and I belive the surgery is free...one is the Shriners Burn Hospital and the other is John Sealy Hosiptal...I THINK they do the donations...have heard they do.

Are you saying that if you agree to donate your skin, the whole surgery is free?

Jenny~  I have been told that...I still am researching.

I was told a while back that Riley Childrens Hospital in Indianapolis was doing the surgeries for FREE if you have alot of excess skin. I would at least give the burn unit there and Wishard a call.. Worth a shot, huh? I hope they really do it...

I called Shriners Burn Center in Cincinnati last summer about this very thing becouse I had heard so many rumors that thay would take skin in exchange for the surgery.  I was told buy a VP of the hospital that they didnt do that, that its not cost effective.  They would get such a small amt of skin for the price.  They do however take cadaver donations ... so when we have an entire body they are more than willing to take our donation.   I guess its good to check other places...cant hurt.  I was told that for the cost of them paying all the drs and all the staff for the surgery they dont get enough skin....from even us bariatric patients.