How will the new transplant for people burned by SUS?
The amniotic membrane is collected in childbirth after the consent of the donors. It accelerates healing and reduces infections and pain from people who have suffered burns when creating a protective barrier against bacteria and other infectious agents.
The amniotic membrane is especially interesting for second degree burns. It stimulates the healing of the wound and that the individual’s own cells multiply, reproduce and the formation of a new skin occurs. It can also be used in patients with chronic wounds, such as those caused by diabetes and venous ulcers, according to a 2022 USP newspaper.
‘Zero List’ for Cornea
The Brazilian transplant system faces bottlenecks compared to another type, the cornea. According to a survey by the Brazilian Ophthalmology Council (CBO), the waiting time for corneal transplant surgery in Brazil has doubled in ten years. For Freire, the work is to reach the “zero list”.
The zero list is virtually impossible to happen, because every day patient enters the list, but what we understand as zero list is when a person takes no more than 60 days to enter the list (transplantation) and can transplant. We are working deeply in action to achieve this (in relation to corneal transplantation).
Patrícia Freire, General Coordinator of SNT (National Transplant System)
Delay for transplantation can be multifactorial. According to the CBO today, a patient takes an average of 374 days for surgery. Ten years ago, the waiting time was 174 days. Among the reasons mentioned were the lack of adjustments of amounts paid by the procedures and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which replaced patients especially between 2020 and 2023. By sanitary measures, elective surgeries were suspended, which included corneal transplants. Freire, however, states that the values have already been readjusted and the line is walking.
