Japanese doctors to assess Taiwan's need for artificial skin grafts
2015/07/01 22:52:49
Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Two Japanese physicians will arrive Thursday in Taiwan as part of an international medical aid mission to provide artificial skin grafts to some of the many victims of a flash fire at a water park in New Taipei last weekend.
Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps (TRMPC, 臺灣路竹會), in collaboration with Japan Medical Association (JMA) and the Association of Medical Doctors (AMDA) of Asia, are coordinating with Japanese medical product companies to supply artificial skin, TRMPC chairman Liu Chi-chun (劉啟群)said Wednesday.
One person died and 498 others were injured when colored cornstarch powder burst in flames during a stage performance at Formosa Coast Water Park on June 27.
The burn victims were sent to 52 hospitals across Taiwan, with 277 patients being treated in intensive care wards and 160 in ordinary wards, the New Taipei Public Health Department said Tuesday evening. Since Saturday, 60 patients have been discharged from hospital, the department said.
With the help of Taiwan's representative office in Japan, the TRMPC sought the help of the AMDA and JMA, which decided to send doctors to Taiwan to provide medical aid in the wake of the incident, Liu said.
AMAD President Shigeru Suganami and Yoshihito Ujike, president of the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine, will first assess the need for artificial skin grafts among the burn patients, Liu said.
The AMDA is working with a Japanese manufacturer of artificial skins to provide supplies, he said. That type of grafting in principle should be performed by Japanese surgeons, Liu said.
The golden period for repair of burns is one week to one month after injury, and the treatment during that period is usually focused on healing the wounds and growing skin cells, according to Liu.