AlloDerm was created by LifeCell Corporation in 1992 for the purpose of reducing complications in certain surgeries. AlloDerm is composed of donated human skin tissue, all of which is compliant with U.S. standards, which is supplied by the American Association of Tissue Banks.
AlloDerm is intended to be used for skin grafts. Because AlloDerm is made with biological materials, it allows the human cells to develop blood vessels, attrach white blood cells, reintegrate with surrounding tissues, and minimize the chances of graft failure or rejection. Burn victims, hernia patients, and breast reconstruction patients are all examples of people who may have used AlloDerm.
As AlloDerm became popular and its use became more widespread, people started complaining of severe side effects like life-threatening infection, hernia reccurence, abdominal deformity, explanation of implant, and injury to surrounding organs. According to http://www.allodermlawsuit.org, a 2008 published paper found that of the 70 examined patients who used Alloderm, 24% experienced some of the above mentioned complications.
In 2005, LifeCell corporation initiated a voluntary recall for AlloDerm over the quality of their donations from a tissue recovery organization. Several law firms have launched lawsuits over the issue of AlloDerm Human Tissue.
