ULTRASTRUCTURAL AND SURFACE-AREA CHANGES OF ACUTE AND TRADITIONALLY EXPANDED FULL THICKNESS SKIN-GRAFTS

KIVANC O., ACARTURK S., KAYA E., KAYA M., METE U.

BRITISH JOURNAL OF PLASTIC SURGERY, vol.45, no.3, pp.239-245, 1992 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 45 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 1992
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/0007-1226(92)90086-d
  • Journal Name: BRITISH JOURNAL OF PLASTIC SURGERY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, Gender Studies Database, MEDLINE, MLA - Modern Language Association Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.239-245
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of expansion on the survival of full thickness skin grafts. In eight pigs 300 ml rectangular tissue expanders were placed into subcutaneous pockets. In four pigs (group I), the expanders were inflated rapidly with a mean 200 ml saline. In the other four pigs (group II), a mean total of 300 ml saline was injected in weekly increments over eight weeks. At the completion of expansion, full thickness skin grafts were taken from the expanded area and sutured back to the donor defects. In both groups surviving graft areas were similar to controls (p > 0.06). This study showed that acute and traditional expansion does not lead to increased loss of full thickness skin grafts of the expanded skin.