Innovative synthetic artificial skin gives young double amputee his childhood back | Latest news

A 12-year-old double amputee patient at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), who became only the second person in the UK to receive a pioneering synthetic skin treatment for his limbs, was recently visited by the medical technology company that developed the product.

Like many boys his age, Taylor enjoys spending time with his friends, playing football with his grandad and is an up-and-coming star in the world of table tennis. However, unlike most children his age, Taylor is a double amputee.

At just eight months old, Taylor became critically ill with meningococcal septicaemia, which resulted in the loss of several fingers and the amputation of both legs before his first birthday.

NUH Clinical Nurse Specialist Anna Baker has known Taylor since first meeting him in intensive care during those early days of his illness.

She said: "The consultants said at the time that Taylor was the sickest patient they had ever cared for. His body was shutting down to protect his vital organs, so his extremities were affected first, and he lost his fingers and legs."

From a young age, Taylor learned to use prosthetic legs. However, as he grew, the skin on his residual limbs struggled to keep pace, leading to repeated hospital visits and increasing reliance on his wheelchair.

Taylor said: "It wasn't the best watching other people running around. It got me down because I wished I could join in."

His mum, Terri, recalled: "Taylor's quality of life had really declined until he had the MTX treatment last year. It was the best decision we have made."

NovoSorb MTX is a biodegradable synthetic wound dressing developed by PolyNovo to help treat complex wounds. It acts as a scaffold, allowing the body to grow new tissue. The treatment has only been used in a small number of countries. In Taylor's case, MTX was used alongside Biodegradable Temporising Matrix (BTM), helping to create a thicker layer of new tissue.

NUH Consultant Burns, Plastics and Reconstructive Surgeon Mr Skaria Alexander sought approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to use the product, which is not yet licensed for routine use in the UK.

Mr Alexander explained: "Dermis is the lower layer of the skin that gives structural support in terms of durability and elasticity. The usefulness of MTX is to build up that dermis layer in a quicker way with fewer procedures, reducing stress to the patients, reducing theatre costs and reducing nursing time.

"To my knowledge, Taylor's case represents one of the most successful outcomes seen with MTX to date. We hope that by introducing MTX for suitable patients in the future, we can reduce the number of surgical procedures needed to rebuild the dermis."

Taylor's nurse, Anna, has seen first-hand the difference the treatment has made.

She said: "It has been life changing. We barely see him in clinic now.

"He can use his prosthetics more, he's not missing school and he can take part in the activities he loves instead of sitting in his wheelchair watching others."

Taylor and his mum believe the treatment has transformed his day-to-day life.

Terri said: "We've now had a full year with no issues. Taylor is happy and able to get on with what he wants to do again."

Taylor has since joined a table tennis league and hopes to one day compete at the Paralympic Games, a dream he is working towards through regular training.

Taylor said: "It's great to feel special being the second person in the UK to use MTX, and even more special to be the first patient in the world to talk about it."