Skin Grafting

Skin grafting is a surgery that involves the removal of skin from one area of the body and moving it to a different area of the body. This surgical procedure may be done if a part of your body has lost its protective covering of skin due to burns, injury or illness.

Skin grafts are done in a hospital. Most skin grafts are done using general anesthesia, which means you’ll be asleep during the procedure and won’t feel any pain.

Why are skin grafts done?

A skin graft is placed over an area where skin has been lost. Common reasons for a skin graft include:

• Skin infections

• Deep burns

• Large, open wounds

• Bed sores or other ulcers on the skin that haven’t healed properly

• Skin cancer surgery

Types of skin grafts

There are two main types of skin grafts: split-thickness and full-thickness grafts.

Split-thickness grafts

A split-thickness graft involves removing the top layer of the skin (epidermis) and also a portion of the inner layer of the skin (dermis). These layers are taken from the donor site (that is the area where the healthy skin is located). Split-thickness skin grafts are normally harvested from the front or outer thigh, abdomen, buttocks or back.

Split-thickness grafts are used to cover large areas. These grafts tend to be fragile and usually have a shiny or smooth appearance. They may also appear paler than the neighboring skin. Split-thickness grafts don’t grow as readily as ungrafted skin, so children who get them may need extra grafts as they grow older.

Full-thickness grafts

A full-thickness graft involves removing all of the outer and inner layer of the skin from the donor site. These are usually taken from the abdomen, groin, forearm or collarbone. They tend to be smaller pieces of skin, as the donor site from where it’s gotten from is usually pulled together and closed in a straight-line incision with stitches.

Full-thickness grafts are usually used for small wounds on highly visible parts of the body like the face. Unlike split-thickness grafts, full-thickness grafts blend in well with the neighboring skin and tend to have a better cosmetic outcome.

How to prepare for a skin graft

Your doctor will likely schedule your skin graft several weeks ahead, so you’ll have time to plan for the surgery. Inform your doctor ahead of time about any prescription or over-the-counter medications you’re taking. Certain medicines like aspirin, can interfere with the blood’s ability to form clots. Your doctor may instruct you to change your dosage or stop taking these medications before the surgical procedure. Also, smoking or tobacco products will impair your ability to heal a skin graft, so your doctor will likely ask you to stop smoking ahead of your surgery.

Your doctor will also tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of the surgical procedure. This is to prevent you from vomiting and choking during the surgery if the anesthesia nauseates you.

You should also plan on bringing a family member or friend who can drive you home after the surgery. General anesthesia may make you feel sleepy after the procedure, so you shouldn’t drive until the effects have fully worn off.

It’s also a good idea to have someone stay with you for the first few days after the surgical procedure. You may need help carrying out certain tasks and getting around the house.

Skin graft procedure

A doctor will begin the operation by removing skin from the donor site. If you’re getting a split-thickness graft, the skin will be removed from an area of your body that’s usually concealed by clothing like your hip or the outside of your thigh. If you’re getting a full-thickness graft, preferred donor sites are the abdomen, groin, forearm or collarbone.

Once skin is removed from the donor site, the doctor will carefully place it over the transplant area and secure it with a surgical dressing or stitches. If it’s a split-thickness graft, it may be “meshed.” The doctor may punch several holes in the graft to stretch out the piece of skin so that he or she may take less skin from your donor site. This also allows fluid to drain from beneath the skin graft. Accumulation of fluid under the graft may cause it to fail.

The doctor also covers the donor area with a dressing that will cover the wound without sticking to it.

Aftercare for a skin graft

The hospital staff will monitor you closely after your surgery, checking your vital signs and giving you medications to manage the pain.

If you’ve had a split-thickness graft, your doctor may want you to stay in the hospital for some days to make sure the graft and the donor site are healing well.

The graft should start developing blood vessels and connecting to the neighboring skin within 36 hours. If these blood vessels don’t start to form shortly after the surgery, it could be a sign that your body is rejecting the graft.

You may hear your doctor say that the skin graft “hasn’t taken.” This may happen for some reasons like infection, fluid or blood collecting under the graft or too much movement of the graft on the wound. This may also happen if you smoke or have poor blood flow to the area being grafted. You may need additional surgery and a new graft if the first graft doesn’t take.

When you leave the hospital, your doctor will give you a prescription for painkillers to help reduce the pain. They’ll also instruct you on how to care for the graft site and the donor site so they don’t get infected.

The donor site will heal within 1 to 2 weeks, but the graft site will take a bit longer to heal. For at least 3 to 4 weeks after the surgery, you’ll need to avoid doing any activities that could stretch or injure the graft site. Your doctor will tell you when it’s safe to go back to your normal activities.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is for patient general knowledge only and should not be used during any medical emergency, diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Duplication for personal and commercial use must be authorized in writing by Surjen.com.