Skin Grafting By: Megan French

The Skin  The skin is the largest organ of the body  3 main layers : Epidermis, Dermis, Subcutaneous  Regulates body temperature  It protects the body from external agents and potentially deadly infections

What is Skin Grafting A skin graft is a patch of skin that is removed by surgery from one area of the body and transplanted, or attached, to another area. Often skin will be taken from unaffected areas on the injured person and used to cover a defect, often a burn. Skin may be meshed to stretch it into a larger patch Taking the graft from the injured person makes rejection of the tissue unlikely.

History In the 19th century physicians developed methods to transplant skin from one place on the body to another Covering an open non healing wound decreases the amount of time that the wound is exposed to bacterial micro organisms.

Harvest Site Most often skin for a skin graft is taken from the persons thigh or buttocks

Incision Skin taken using a dermatome The patient is under either a local anesthesia or general anesthesia

Procedure Skin grafts will not take on exposed bone, tendon or an infected wound

Usually heal with little scarring Successfully protects the body from infection and bacteria The donor area heals on its own within 2-3 weeks Post Surgery

Complications Failure, or non-take Color difference Contraction Meshed appearance Dryness, scaling etc

References All pictures used from Google Images for education purposed only grafts.html grafts.html Mackay DR, Miraliakbari R, eds. Skin grafts. Operative Techniques in General Story. December 2006; 8(4); Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery Volume 63, Issue 2, February 2010, Pages Ann Plast Surg Oct;21(4):