Skin grafting. Historic and practical approaches.

In this article, the authors have explored the anatomy, physiology, mechanics, and biology of skin grafts. Armed with this knowledge one can predict or anticipate potential complications and thereby avoid them. The authors emphasized the importance of converting chronic infected wounds to acute sterile wounds prior to skin grafting. The authors have discussed the need to assess the patient's vascular status. Skin grafting, when properly used, can be a valuable tool, an adjunct for wound closure and reconstruction.

Cefadroxil in skin and skin-structure foot infections: a retrospective review.

The efficacy and safety of cefadroxil in eradicating localized skin and skin-structure infections of the foot were investigated in a retrospective chart review of 222 consecutive patients from two private practices seen over a 10-year period. Of the 189 patients for whom follow-up data were available, 187 (99%) received cefadroxil 500 mg twice daily, and 2 patients (1%) received 250 mg twice daily. The duration of therapy was 2 weeks or less in 87% of patients, with a median duration of therapy of 11.4 days (range, 5 to 35 days). Of the 189 clinically evaluable patients, 179 (95%) achieved a favorable clinical response to treatment; of the 57 patients with microbiologic cultures, 54 (95%) experienced a satisfactory bacteriologic response to therapy; no adverse events related to cefadroxil therapy were identified during the review. The overall results from this retrospective study suggest that cefadroxil is an effective agent with a favorable safety profile for the treatment of skin and skin-structure infections of the foot.