ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Grafting split-thickness (STSGs) and full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are common techniques to replace missing skin and to restore the skin barrier in burn, trauma and remaining skin defects after tumor resections. The defect coverage with skin grafts offer many advantages, but also disadvantages such as donor site morbidity like possible sensory disturbances, scarring, risk of infection, contour changes and pigment disorders. We aimed to assess the preferred distribution of donor site for STSGs and FTSGs in patient's skin grafting for plastic-surgical defect coverage. METHODS: Patients and their accompany persons referred to the Department of Plastic Surgery were interviewed for defect coverage with STSGs or FTSGs, the preference in donor site was investigated and the detailed advantages and disadvantages were clarified. RESULTS: We evaluated 85 participants (male=43, female=42) with a median age of 42 years (mean=46 years). The definition of the donor site (n=188 markings) was mainly based on the physicians recommendation (32.98%), mobility (23.40%), aesthetic results (22.34%) and pain (21.28%). Feared complications (n=152) were mainly wound healing disorders (32.24%), circulation disorders (28.29%), scars (20.39%) and bleeding risks (19.08%). Among all participants, 79 split-skin graft preferences were specified, while 32% favored the scalp as a donor site, as well as 29% the frontal part of the left thigh and 10% the frontal part of the right thigh. CONCLUSION: There were preferred anatomical donor sites for skin grafting. Nevertheless, in conscious patients, the donor site has to be selected in a consent talk and joint approval, preoperatively. The options of taking STSGs from the occipital region with all its advantages should be discussed intensively as it is an attractive graft donor site.
ABSTRACT
Objective: It is difficult to repair large-area Ⅲ?burn wound in children.Here we introduce the advantages of the back skin donor site in repairing Ⅲ?burn wound in children.Methods: This clinical study included 15 children with Ⅲ?burn,ranging in age from 18 months to 11 years(mean 7.6 years),with the Ⅲ?burn wound area averaging at 12.6% of the total body surface.The back skin donor site was used to repair the wound.The functional site,such as the joint,was preferentially considered if the skin graft was not enough for all the wounds.Results: Most of the skin grafts survived and the donor sites on the back healed very well.The patients were followed up for six months to three years,which revealed that the skin grafts remained soft without dysfunction and the scar hyperplasia was mild on the donor site.Conclusion: The back donor site supplies larger-area skin with good quality.The donor site heals fast.After healing,patients could sleep on back and compress the scar so as to prevent scar hyperplasia,and the scar does not affect the patient's appearance.With all these advantages,the back donor site is a good choice for repairing Ⅲ?burn wound in children.
