Why is a full thickness skin graft better than a split thickness skin graft?

The split-thickness technique is used to cover large areas, which makes it ideal for the legs. Full-thickness skin grafts are usually reserved for smaller areas, such as the face and hands, because they blend better with the surrounding skin.

What is the difference between a full thickness skin graft and a split thickness skin graft?

Split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) are composed of the epidermis and a superficial part of the dermis. Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSG) contain both the full epidermis and dermis. Composite grafts contain skin and another type of tissue, usually cartilage.

Do full thickness burns require skin grafts?

Deep second and full-thickness burns require skin graft surgery for quick healing and minimal scarring. In the case of large burn size, patients will need more than one operation during a hospital stay. Skin grafting is done in a surgical procedure that consists of: The removal of injured tissue.

Why a full thickness skin graft may be a better choice?

Full-Thickness Skin Grafts FTSGs maintain more of the normal characteristics of the skin (notably texture, color and thickness), and contract less during healing. As a result, FTSGs are aesthetically pleasing and a good choice for the face or other highly-visible areas of the body.

When do you need a full thickness skin graft?

A full-thickness skin graft is used when all layers of the skin are needed to close a wound or to cover small areas. It is used when matching the skin graft’s color to the normal skin is important. It may also be done when contractures (tightening and shortening) of the skin graft should be avoided.

How do you take care of a full thickness skin graft?

It is best to keep the area covered for 3 weeks after suture removal with a nonstick dressing (Telfa) and paper tape. Clean the graft daily with ½ strength peroxide and keep it moist with Vaseline. Continue to clean the graft daily as described above until the peroxide no longer bubbles upon application.

How long does it take for a full thickness skin graft to heal?

For full thickness skin grafts, the donor area only takes about 5 to 10 days to heal, because it’s normally quite small and closed with stitches. At first, the grafted area will appear reddish-purple, but it should fade over time. It can take a year or two for the appearance of the skin to settle down completely.

What does a full thickness burn destroy?

Full thickness burns destroy the first and second layers of the skin. They are dry, with a dark brown appearance. Most full thickness burns are best treated with early removal of the dead tissue, skin grafting and long-term use of compression therapy to minimize scarring.

What does full thickness burn look like?

Unlike other burns, which are very painful, a full-thickness burn may not hurt when touched. This is because the nerve endings responsible for sensation are destroyed. The burned area can appear waxy and white, gray and leathery, or charred and black.

How long does a full thickness skin graft surgery take?

The surgery takes 1 to 3 hours. If the graft is a large area, you may stay one or more nights in the hospital. Before the surgery begins: An IV line is put into a vein in your arm or hand.

How long does a full thickness skin graft take to heal?

Is there such a thing as a split thickness skin graft?

A split-thickness skin graft (STSG), by definition, refers to a graft that contains the epidermis and a portion of the dermis, which is in contrast to a full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) which consists of the epidermis and entire dermis.

What’s the success rate of a full thickness skin graft?

Full-thickness graft: has all skin layers. This also has a success rate of 95%. Autograft refers to transfer of skin (split-thickness or full-thickness) from one site to another on the same person. This eliminates immunological rejection issues.

What are the different types of skin grafts?

There are two different types of skin grafts: split-thickness and full-thickness. Split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) are thin, including epidermis and a small portion of dermis. leaving behind enough of the dermis for the donor site to heal by reepithelialization.

How is skin graft done on a burn?

Prior to grafting, the wound bed is cleaned and necrotic tissue or eschar is removed. The area is debrided to a bleeding wound bed to encourage optimum graft survival.1,2Debridementmay be carried out in numerous ways, including excising, or cutting away dead tissue using a surgical blade or a hydrodebridementtool such as ®the Versajet.