What is skin grafting?

Skin grafting is a procedure where the surgeon removes skin from one area of the body and transplants it elsewhere. The surgery is an option for victims of injuries with large wounds such as bed sores, burn injury, skin cancer or skin infection. The two types of skin grafts are split thickness and full thickness.

For a split thickness graft, the surgeon will remove the epidermis (the top layer of the skin) and some of the dermis (the deeper layer) from a donor site in the patient's body where the skin is healthy. The advantage to this technique is the ability to cover large areas that need new skin. The final product, however, will still look like the skin from the original site where the graft was taken.

A full-thickness graft is typically good for areas where appearance and function are important since it is able to blend better with the surrounding skin hence less noticeable than a split-thickness graft. For this type of skin graft, the whole thickness of the skin including the epidermis and dermis is taken from a donor site of the body. The main limitation to this technique is only a small area of defect can be covered by a full thickness skin graft.

During surgery, skin is removed from the donor site, placed over the graft area and attached with surgical dressing, stitches or staples. The surgeon may punch small holes in the graft in order to stretch out a piece of skin. This will allow less skin to be used from the donor site and also help fluid easily drain from the graft. Within 36 hours of surgery, the skin graft should begin to form blood vessels and begin connecting to the skin around it.

For more information on what type of skin graft is suitable for your need, schedule your consultation with us at 732-888-9400.

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