From Tragedy to Triumph: Jalen Richardson

On Memorial Day Weekend in 2016, Jalen Richardson, a 20-year-old Georgia Army National Guardsman, headed downtown on his blue and white Suzuki GSX motorcycle for a quick bite to eat with friends. Out of nowhere, another motorcyclist lost control of his bike and crashed into Jalen. The accident sent Jalen and his bike sliding, rupturing the Suzuki’s gas tank. Gas spilled onto the road and onto Jalen before exploding and shooting flames 20 feet into the air.

As he was rushed to the Grady Memorial Hospital’s Marcus Trauma Center and into surgery, Jalen had a moment with his mother. “Oh ma, they’re just going to put a couple of Band-Aids on me. I’ll be all right,” he told her. Two months later, he woke from a coma with his left forearm amputated and his body covered in burns. The pain was excruciating.

Dr. Juvonda Hodge, assistant medical director at Emory University’s Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Center, pushed Jalen towards recovery, even when he wanted to give up. As part of his treatment, she used Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template, which consists of two layers: a thin silicone film to protect the wound from infection and control both heat and moisture loss and a porous inner layer acts as a scaffold for regenerating dermal skin cells. Once dermal skin has regenerated, the silicone outer layer is removed and replaced with a thin epidermal skin graft.

“You have to have a good foundation is what I always say,” Dr. Hodge says. “Integra gives you a great foundation to start grafting on top of that.” Three years after the injury, she is impressed with the lack of hypertrophic scars on Jalen and that the new skin is pliable.

"Jalen is now back with his unit of the Georgia National Guard. In September 2020, he was named the 78th Aviation Troop Command’s 'Soldier of the Year'."

Note: Clinical results may vary.

Product Information

Note: The results presented herein are case-specific and should not be used to draw general conclusions as to clinical outcomes

Description

Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template (Integra template) is a bilayer membrane system for skin replacement. The dermal replacement layer is made of a porous matrix of fibers of cross-linked bovine tendon collagen and glycosaminoglycan (chondroitin-6-sulfate) that is manufactured with a controlled porosity and defined degradation rate. The epidermal substitute layer is made of athin polysiloxane (silicone) layer to control moisture loss from the wound. Integra template is provided sterile and non-pyrogenic. The inner foil pouch and product should be handled using sterile technique. Integra template should not be re-sterilized.

 

Indications

Integra template is indicated for the postexcisional treatment of life-threatening full-thickness or deep partial-thickness thermalinjuries where sufficient autograft is not available at the time of excision or not desirable due to the physiological condition of the patient. Integra template is also indicated for the repair of scar contractures when other therapies have failed or when donor sites for repair are not sufficient or desirable due to the physiological condition of the patient.

 

Contraindications

Use of Integra template is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to bovine collagen or chondroitin materials. Integra template should not be used on clinically diagnosed infected wounds.

 

Warnings

Excision of the wound must be performed thoroughly to remove all coagulation eschar and nonviable tissue. Integra template will not “take” to nonviable tissue. Leaving any remaining nonviable tissue may create an environment for bacterial growth. Hemostasis must be achieved prior to applying Integra template. Inadequate control of bleeding will interfere with the incorporation of Integra template.

 

Precautions

There have been no clinical studies evaluating Integra template in pregnant women. Caution should be exercised before using Integra template in pregnant women. Such use should occur only when the anticipated benefit clearly outweighs the risk. In clinical trials, the use of Integra template was evaluated in a small number of patients with chemical, radiation, or electrical burns. A surgeon’s decision to use Integra template on these wounds should be based on their evaluation of the wound and its suitability for excisional therapy, the likelihood that a viable wound bed will be created by excision, and whether the possible benefit outweighs the risk in this patient population.

Integra template should be applied on the day of excision. Delaying the application of Integra template may substantially impair the take of the material. Appropriate techniques to minimize pressure and shearing should be used to reduce risk of mechanical dislodgement.

Placing the patient in hydrotherapy immersion may interfere with proper incorporation of the Integra template and cause premature separation of the silicone layer and nonadherence of the template. Caution must be employed to not remove the newly formed neodermal tissue when removing the silicone layer. Integra template must NOT be excised off the wound. The extent of scarring associated with the use of this product has not been determined.