FAQ

FAQ's

What are the benefits of GammaGraft™?

GammaGraft™ is an excellent temporary skin graft for partial and full-thickness wounds. It is

storable at room temperature and needs no preparation before application to the patient. It

may be carried around in a doctor's pocket for 24 months then applied at the bedside as

simply as opening a foil pouch. The GammaGraft™ will adhere to the wound and renders

the wound site pain-free. GammaGraft™ requires no dressing changes and allows for early

discharging of the patient so that he may resume his normal life. Patients may even bathe

and shower with GammaGraft™ in place once it has air-dried.

How does GammaGraft™ work?

GammaGraft™ works by creating the ideal wound healing environment. GammaGraft™

closes the wound bed to the outside environment, decreasing the risk of infection and the

loss of fluids and proteins from the wound bed. Because GammaGraft™ remains on a wound

for 4-6 weeks without any dressings changes, there is no disruption to the wound bed and

the healing process. GammaGraft™ also greatly reduces pain and exudate at the wound site,

thereby getting patients back on their feet and active again. This can have a dramatic effect

on patient compliance and quality of life.

How do you apply GammaGraft?

See Application Directions for detailed instructions.

What types of wounds does GammaGraft™ not work well on?

GammaGraft™ should not be applied to wounds that have existent necrotic tissue or that

show clinical signs of infection. The wound bed should be debrided and clean prior to

application of GammaGraft™.

Is GammaGraft™ safe?

The skin banking industry has an excellent safety record over the last twenty years.

GammaGraft™ has been processed and irradiated at high doses to further ensure bacterial

sterility as well as significantly reducing the risk of viral transmission of some viruses,

including HIV disease. GammaGraft™ has been tested and found negative for HIV I-II,

hepatitis C, hepatitis B, syphilis, and the HTLV I-II viruses before processing. The irradiation

acts as an additional safety factor in processing GammaGraft™. GammaGraft™ is also

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) free. This makes GammaGraft™ the ideal allograft for use on HIV-

positive patients, transplant patients, and immunosuppressed patients that could be adversely

affected by CMV.

Is GammaGraft™ reimbursed by insurance companies and Medicare?

GammaGraft™ is being reimbursed by most major insurance carriers including Medicare.

GammaGraft™ is reimbursable for use in a range of settings, including the clinic, the

Emergency Room, and the Operating Room. See Insurance Coverage for further

assistance.

What do you use as a dressing over GammaGraft™ after application?

You may use your hospital's standard wound protocols such as Adaptic or another non-

adherent dressing over top of the GammaGraft. Place dry gauze over the non-adherent

dressing and secure with tape or elastic netting. The GammaGraft™ should be

adherent to the wound bed after one to two days. If it is not adherent after two

days, the wound bed needs to be reevaluated for possible surface infection.

Should patients avoid getting GammaGraft™ wet or avoid activity?

Patients may shower or bathe with GammaGraft™ once it is in place and adherent. The

patient should not get GammaGraft™ wet or participate in many activities before

the GammaGraft™ has adhered well to the wound bed. It should be patted dry after

becoming wet. Patients may resume normal daily life with GammaGraft™ in place, though

offloading and compression may still be required for certain chronic wounds. If the wound

site is on a joint or an area of possible shearing, precautions should be taken to ensure

GammaGraft™ remains in place until healing can take place. Wounds to the elbow, knee, or

buttocks are all areas that are more susceptible to shearing.

Why can GammaGraft™ be used without following moist wound healing

protocols?

Even though GammaGraft™ does not require any cover dressings, it still promotes moist

wound healing. In fact since GammaGraft™ has an epidermal layer, it has the most effective

vapor barrier for wounds. The epidermal layer prevents leeching of moisture and proteins

out of the wound so that the natural healing mechanisms may take place. So even though

the GammaGraft™ itself appears dry, the wound bed beneath is moist and promoting

healing.

What is a "Canary Test"?

The coal miners used to take canaries with them into the mine to detect noxious gases in the

mine. If their canaries started to get fidgety or sick, it was a sign that the mine's air may not

be safe. The GammaGraft™ canary test revolves around detecting whether or not a wound is

ready to receive an autograft. By using a piece of GammaGraft™ on a wound that is going to

be definitively closed, the physician may observe whether the GammaGraft™ has adhered

over the course of 24 hours. If the GammaGraft™ is not adherent, the site is probably not

ready for grafting and the wound should be evaluated for possible sepsis. This has saved a

number of patients from losing grafts and instantly doubling the size of their wounds.

Physicans will also often use GammaGraft™ on an area of a failed skin graft in order to clean

up the wound bed prior to definitive closure. This greatly increases the take rate for the

autograft.

How can I place GammaGraft™ in my hospital?

inventory. We can assist you greatly with this process.