Skin Grafts

Skin Grafts

A skin graft is a patch of skin that is surgically removed from one area/ part of the body and transplanted, or attached, to another area. Healthy skin is taken from the part of  the body called the donor site. Split-thickness skin graft(SSG) are the most commonly performed ones . This takes the top layers of skin from the donor site (the epidermis) and the layer beneath the epidermis (the dermis).

The donor site area can be any area of the body, preferred donor sites are  areas that is hidden by clothes, such as inner thighs or buttocks.

The harvested graft is carefully spread on the raw area where it is being transplanted. It is held in its place by gentle pressure from a well-padded dressing that covers it, by staples or a few small stitches. The donor-site area is covered with a sterile dressing about 10 days .People with loss of deeper tissues may need a full-thickness skin graft. This will require harvesting entire thickness of skin from the donor site, not just the top layers.

Common sites for taking full-thickness skin grafts include the groins, abdomen, thighs and elbows

INDICATIONS

Skin grafts are needed in areas where infection has caused a large amount of skin loss, in burns where large areas of skin are damaged by burns , for cosmetic reasons  to cover damaged areas of skin, or to remove scars , and in Skin cancer surgeries. Grafts are also used for chronic non healing wounds like venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, or diabetic ulcers that do not heal.

BEFORE THE PROCEDURE- During the days before surgery: You may have to stop taking medicines that  prevent your blood  from clotting. These include aspirin, ibuprofen, warfarin (Coumadin), and others. If you are a smoker, stop smoking. Smoking increases chances of problems such as slow healing.

AFTER THE PROCEDURE- The skin grafted limbs are usually immobilized on splints for 5- 7 days. Rehabilitation is usually done in the form of limited weight bearing and active mobilization by the Physiotherapists. The grafted areas should be kept soft and smooth by regular use of moisturizing creams.