{"id":3240,"date":"2025-06-04T15:10:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T15:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/04\/texas-girl-thriving-after-fish-skin-helped-heal-her-wound-as-a-preemie-i-call-her-my-little-mermaid\/"},"modified":"2025-06-04T15:10:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T15:10:37","slug":"texas-girl-thriving-after-fish-skin-helped-heal-her-wound-as-a-preemie-i-call-her-my-little-mermaid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/04\/texas-girl-thriving-after-fish-skin-helped-heal-her-wound-as-a-preemie-i-call-her-my-little-mermaid\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas girl thriving after fish skin helped heal her wound as a preemie: \u2018I call her my little mermaid\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/action-bar\/instances\/cmb83tm6t003r26qn9i1l83eo@published\" data-label-id-prefix=\"action-bar-start-of-article\" class=\"action-bar\" data-dynamic-breakpoint-placement=\"{&quot;extraLarge&quot;:{&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;.layout-article-elevate__left&quot;}}\" data-expand-conditions=\"{&quot;follow&quot;:{&quot;extraLarge&quot;:{&quot;alwaysExpand&quot;:true}},&quot;shareOptions&quot;:{&quot;large&quot;:{&quot;maxNumOfActions&quot;:1},&quot;medium&quot;:{&quot;maxNumOfActions&quot;:1},&quot;extraLarge&quot;:{&quot;withAction&quot;:&quot;follow&quot;,&quot;maxNumOfActions&quot;:2}}}\">\n<div class=\"action-bar__overlay\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet\">\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet--header\">\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet--header-title\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet--header-close\">                            <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet--action\" data-title=\"follow\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/follow-topics-bar\/instances\/cmb83tm6t003v26qn53e8bre8@published\" data-unauth-redirect=\"\/account\/register\/follow\" data-embed-max-topics=\"\" class=\"follow-topics-bar follow-topics-bar_overlay follow-topics-bar--hide\">\n<div class=\"follow-topics-bar_overlay__inner\">\n<div class=\"follow-topics-bar_overlay__scroll-wrapper\">                  <button data-unselectable=\"true\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/chip\/instances\/cmb83tm6t003w26qnhwd11ug3@published\" class=\"chip follow-topics-chip \" data-component-variation=\"follow-topics-chip\" data-component-name=\"chip\" data-zjs=\"click\" data-enable-interstitial=\"true\" data-override-success=\"\" data-label=\"Children's health\" data-id=\"87ea547e-9c19-45e7-9908-15728272141c\" data-reset-on-log-out=\"true\">    <span class=\"chip__label\">Children&#8217;s health<\/span>    <span class=\"chip__icon\">        <span class=\"chip__icon--check\"><\/span>        <span class=\"chip__icon--add\"><\/span>    <\/span><\/button>        <\/div>\n<div class=\"follow-topics-bar_overlay__fade follow-topics-bar_overlay__fade--hide\"><\/div>\n<p>                      See all topics              <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__action-sheet--action\" data-title=\"share options\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/social-share\/instances\/cmb83tm6t003u26qn3lvgfq4s@published\" class=\"social-share_labelled-list\">\n<div class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links vossi-social-share_labelled-list\" data-type=\"share-links\">        <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=80401312489&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F06%2F02%2Fhealth%2Ffish-skin-graft-preterm-baby-wellness&amp;display=popup\" data-type=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share with facebook\" title=\"Share with Facebook\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Facebook<\/span>        <\/button>        <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F06%2F02%2Fhealth%2Ffish-skin-graft-preterm-baby-wellness\" data-type=\"x\" aria-label=\"share with x\" title=\"Share with X\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Tweet<\/span>        <\/button>                                        <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Email<\/span>                <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/06\/02\/health\/fish-skin-graft-preterm-baby-wellness\" data-type=\"copy\" aria-label=\"copy link to clipboard\" title=\"Copy link to clipboard\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Link<\/span>        <\/button>        <\/p>\n<div class=\"social-share_labelled-list__copied\" data-type=\"message\">                        Link Copied!        <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>    <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__open\" data-type=\"open\" aria-label=\"open social share\" title=\"Open social share\">            <\/button>    <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__close\" data-type=\"close\" aria-label=\"close social share\" title=\"Close social share\">            <\/button><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__buttons\">            <button class=\"action-bar__button\" data-title=\"follow\">                                        Follow            <\/button>            <button class=\"action-bar__button\" data-title=\"share options\">                                <\/button>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83tm6t003t26qncymxa9cd@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            When Krystal DeVos watches her young daughter, Eliana, play with an Ariel doll, her eyes fill with emotion.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00073b6mpmp9o40k@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cI call her my little mermaid,\u201d DeVos said of her daughter.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00083b6m9z5gr5qx@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Shortly after Eliana was born, it was the healing power of fish skin that helped her recover from a deep wound on her neck.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00093b6mdashy22q@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cEliana actually has no idea,\u201d said DeVos, who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas. \u201cOf course, as she gets older, we do want to go back and show her pictures and explain to her what has happened, because it is a part of her story and it\u2019s so unique.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000a3b6mfhb95c8s@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Eliana\u2019s story began about three years ago, when she was born at 23 weeks gestation, weighing a single pound. She spent 131 days in neonatal intensive care units, during which she developed a life-threatening infection on her neck that caused a severe wound.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000b3b6mx6065bu1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIt was almost like a flesh-eating disease, where her body was targeting something there in her neck,\u201d DeVos said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000c3b6mbz5732ch@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            As the infection grew, Eliana developed sepsis, the body\u2019s extreme response to an infection, causing some of her organs to shut down. Day after day, DeVos and her family consistently prayed for Eliana to recover.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb8dlhzj00003b6mvwacen56@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Then the medical team told her about a surprising treatment option.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000d3b6m5s4wra5b@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            On day 86 of her NICU stay, Eliana was transferred from her local general hospital to Driscoll Children\u2019s Hospital in Corpus Christi. She received several medications to treat the infection at both hospitals, including antibiotic therapy. But it was at Driscoll that fish skin became a novel part of her wound care.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000e3b6mh5bzxvi6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIt\u2019s microscopically so close to human skin that it helps the wound start to heal,\u201d said Dr. Vanessa Dimas, a pediatric plastic surgeon at Driscoll who treated Eliana.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmbbfwp9700043b6m0613rs72@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"Eliana's-Doctors-Pt-4.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/eliana-s-doctors-pt-4.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_large__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Roxana Reyna, left, and Dr. Vanessa Dimas tried an unusual treatment for Eliana&#8217;s wound.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_large__credit\">Driscoll Children\u2019s Hospital<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate vossi-subheader vossi-subheader--size-h2\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmb8e7kwc00033b6maro8cl8o@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"too-fragile-for-traditional-treatment\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        Too fragile for traditional treatment<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000f3b6m76b65ttx@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            When Dimas first met Eliana, she knew that she would need to do two things: remove the buildup of dead skin tissue from the wound and cover it with some type of treatment to help healthy tissue grow back. But the more traditional approaches \u2013 like surgery or a human skin graft \u2013 were either too risky or not feasible for a preterm infant like Eliana. Her condition was too fragile.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000g3b6m661li2t9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cShe was a premature baby, the wound was very extensive, and she was pretty sick, so I did not feel like it was safe to do a surgical procedure on her,\u201d Dimas said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000h3b6mvggxjjh6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Instead, Dimas and her colleague Roxana Reyna, a wound ostomy nurse practitioner at Driscoll, used a medical-grade honey solution to clean out the wound. Then they applied a mixture of that honey with fish skin to cover the area.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmbbf687p00013b6mqh5ogwnd@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"IMG_2854.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/img-2854.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_large__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Eliana is now 3 years old and thriving.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_large__credit\">Courtesy Krystal DeVos<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000i3b6mshb587ne@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The fish skin \u2013 a medical product made from wild North Atlantic cod and manufactured by the Icelandic company Kerecis \u2013 provided a scaffold, or a type of platform, for new skin tissue to grow. Some of the omega oils and other natural elements from the fish skin helped contribute to the healing process, Dimas said, adding that \u201conce it basically does its job, helping the wound heal, then it sort of just melts away.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000j3b6m29reyp7z@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Potential risks of this fish skin treatment include reactions in children with fish allergies; for infants, it may not be known whether they have an allergy at all.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000k3b6mjmris60w@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThat would be the biggest risk: an unknown allergy that could potentially cause some problems,\u201d Dimas said. \u201cOther than that, there\u2019s still a chance that the kid may need surgery, because we don\u2019t know how much this is going to help us heal the child.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000l3b6mjeunh4q8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            But for Eliana, the fish skin treatment was well-tolerated and appeared to promote healing.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmbbfxq2600063b6m878sgpp3@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate portrait image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"IMG_0438.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_expandable--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_expandable--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_expandable--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"1.3333333333333333\" data-original-height=\"4000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/img-0438.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_expandable--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_expandable--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_expandable--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_expandable__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Eliana&#8217;s wound healed in 10 days with minimal scarring, according to her care team.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_expandable__credit\">Courtesy Krystal DeVos<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmbbfxrwt00083b6mhf3yvymq@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate portrait image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"IMG_5788.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_expandable--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_expandable--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_expandable--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"1.3333333333333333\" data-original-height=\"4000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/img-5788.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_expandable--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_expandable--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_expandable--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_expandable__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">A mixture of fish skin and honey was applied to Eliana&#8217;s wound.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_expandable__credit\">Courtesy Krystal DeVos<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate vossi-subheader vossi-subheader--size-h2\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmb83wxxb00173b6m7hdckib7@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"the-potential-of-xenografts\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        The potential of \u2018xenografts\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000n3b6mm4783qhb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Fish skin has been used for wound care in people around the world, but its use in children \u2013 let alone infants \u2013 remains rare.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000o3b6mcnz3fn3r@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            In March, Dimas and Reyna presented data about their approach for preterm infants at the European Wound Management Association Conference in Barcelona, Spain. They talked about two case studies: Eliana and a critically ill preterm baby with an abdominal wound.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000p3b6mniingl5n@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cEliana weighed 3 pounds on the day we applied the fish skin graft,\u201d Reyna said. The other patient weighed 1 pound during their treatment.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000q3b6mxxqjkbra@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cSince Eliana, now we have been able to feel confident enough to use it in even smaller babies,\u201d Reyna said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000r3b6mzybgvcwy@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Driscoll Children\u2019s Hospital says Eliana\u2019s care team appears to be the first to implement Kerecis fish skin in wound care for a single-pound preterm baby.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000s3b6mwhe062rn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Reyna and Dimas have been recognized for their work, and because of their innovative use of the product, Kerecis has invited them to share their clinical insights in public forums.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000t3b6m1hwxakbk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The concept of using fish skin to help heal damaged tissue in humans has been around for years, but it\u2019s still not a very common practice, said Dr. Arun Gosain, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics\u2019 Section on Plastic Surgery and division head of plastic surgery at Ann &amp; Robert H. Lurie Children\u2019s Hospital of Chicago.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000u3b6mugnxy1ls@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThere are so many different options\u201d for wound treatment, depending on the depth and severity of the wound, he said. Some approaches involve tissue from other types of animals.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000v3b6mrnfpwd5u@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThere are other forms of what we call xenografts, or taking tissue from another species and using it for wound healing,\u201d said Gosain, who was not involved in Eliana\u2019s case. For instance, skin from pigs has been commonly used in wound care, as well as collagen from cattle.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000w3b6mb0qy3eug@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cXenografts may have potential in the future, but they\u2019re not used for skin replacement. It\u2019s only used for a biologic dressing currently,\u201d he said. Biologic dressings help to temporarily cover wounds and support the natural healing process, essentially aiding in either the wound healing on its own or preparing it for a surgical treatment to close it.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000x3b6mb6jw2p48@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            For example, someone who has a \u201cfull-thickness wound\u201d \u2013 meaning it extends through all three layers of the skin \u2013 that isn\u2019t healing on its own could benefit from some type of temporary biologic dressing, Gosain said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b000y3b6mf9zg8w15@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            In that scenario, \u201cI could use pig skin,\u201d he said. \u201cWe would put that on there as a biologic dressing, realizing that it won\u2019t regenerate skin, but it will keep the wound clean until we\u2019re ready to transfer the patient\u2019s own skin, in some form, to close the wound, whether it be a skin graft or other such thing.\u201d    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate vossi-subheader vossi-subheader--size-h2\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmb8edxba00073b6mvwx045tn@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"never-be-fearful-to-try-something-new\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        \u2018Never be fearful to try something new\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00103b6mnel504ia@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            In their case study, Reyna and Dimas described Eliana as having a \u201cfull-thickness wound,\u201d but after three days of the fish skin treatment, they noted \u201cdramatic results.\u201d They continued to change her dressing every three days, and after the wound was cleaned and dead skin tissue had been removed, it healed in 10 days after the first fish skin mixture was applied, with minimal scarring, according to the study.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmbbfz280000a3b6m5tf7fcl4@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"IMG_4107.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/img-4107.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_large__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">After 131 days in intensive care, Eliana came home to her older brother, mother and father.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_large__credit\">Courtesy Krystal DeVos<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00113b6mxjyqqpef@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThere were no adverse reactions, and additional surgical interventions were unnecessary,\u201d they wrote. Three years later, Eliana\u2019s scar is so faint, it\u2019s barely noticeable.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00123b6mgswv1i7x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            DeVos said she was inspired by watching fish skin promote the healing of her daughter\u2019s wound, and she hopes Eliana\u2019s story can help contribute to the world\u2019s understanding of fish skin as a medical tool.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00133b6maw0wcbax@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cWhat I hope people take away is that we can be grateful for modern medicine and the power of faith,\u201d she said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmb83wk0b00143b6m866kqnxn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cNever be fearful to try something new. Always be open-minded and just have faith,\u201d she said. \u201cIf something sounds different or you\u2019ve never been exposed to it before, just take a chance and have a little faith. And in our case, it worked out really great.\u201d    <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div>This post appeared first on cnn.com<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Children&#8217;s health See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Link Copied! 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