skin graft (redirected from skin grafts)

skin graft,

a part of skin implanted to cover areas where skin has been lost through burns or injury or by surgical removal of diseased tissue. To prevent tissue rejection of permanent grafts, the graft is taken from the patient's own body or from the body of an identical twin. Skin from another person or animal can be used as a temporary cover for large burned areas to decrease fluid loss. The area from which the graft is taken is called the donor site; that on which it is placed is called the recipient site. Various techniques are used, including pinch, split-thickness, full-thickness, pedicle, and mesh grafts. In pinch grafting, pieces of skin ¼ inch in diameter are placed as small islands on the recipient site that they will grow to cover. These grafts will grow even in areas of poor blood supply and are resistant to infection. The split-thickness graft consists of sheets of superficial and some deep layers of skin. Grafts of up to 4 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches long are removed from a flat surface-abdomen, thigh, or back-with an instrument called a dermatome. The grafts are sutured into place; compression dressings may be applied for firm contact, or the area may be left exposed to the air. A split-thickness graft cannot be used for weight-bearing parts of the body or for covering those subject to friction, such as the hand or foot. A full-thickness graft contains all skin layers and is more durable and effective for weight-bearing and friction-prone areas. A pedicle graft is one in which a part remains attached to the donor site, whereas the remainder is transferred to the recipient site. Its own blood supply remains intact, and it is not detached until the new blood supply has fully developed. This type is often used on the face, neck, or hand. A successful new graft of any type is well established in about 72 hours and can be expected to survive unless a severe infection or trauma occurs. Before surgery both the donor and the recipient site must be free of infection and the recipient site must have a good blood supply. After surgery, stretching or movement of the recipient site is prevented. Strict sterile technique is used for handling dressings, and antibiotics may be given prophylactically to prevent infection. Good nutrition with a high-protein, high-calorie diet is essential. See also autograft, graft, xenograft.

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graft

1. any tissue or organ for implantation or transplantation.

2. to implant or transplant such tissue. See also flap (1), grafting, allograft, xenograft.

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autodermic graft, autoepidermic graft

a skin graft taken from the patient's own body.

autologous graft, autoplastic graft

a graft taken from another area of the patient's own body; an autograft.

avascular graft

a graft of tissue in which not even transient vascularization is achieved.

graft bed

site to which a graft is to be joined.

bone graft

the transfer of living bone, usually for fracture repair or reconstructive surgery. Various types of bone grafts are identified, depending on their source and treatment, if any, e.g. cortical, autograft, allograft, cancellous, xenograft, isograft.

cable graft

a nerve graft made up of several sections of nerve in the manner of a cable.

chess-board graft

see stamp graft (below).

cutis graft

dermal graft.

dermal graft, dermic graft

skin from which epidermis and subcutaneous fat have been removed, used instead of fascia in various plastic procedures.

graft enhancement

prior exposure of the recipient to the donor's tissues may prolong survival of a graft.

epidermal graft

a piece of epidermis implanted on a raw surface.

fascia graft

a graft of tissue taken from the external investing fascia of the leg (fascia lata).

fascicular graft

a nerve graft in which bundles of nerve fibers are approximated and sutured separately.

free graft

a graft of tissue completely freed from its bed, in contrast to a flap.

full-thickness graft

a skin graft consisting of the full thickness of the skin, with little or none of the subcutaneous tissue.

heterodermic graft

see heterodermic.

heterologous graft, heteroplastic graft

a graft of tissue transplanted between animals of different species; a heterograft or xenograft.

homologous graft

a graft of tissue obtained from the body of another animal of the same species but with a genotype differing from that of the recipient; a homograft or allograft.

isologous graft, isoplastic graft

a graft of tissue transplanted between genetically identical individuals; an isograft.

lamellar graft

replacement of the superficial layers of an opaque cornea by a thin layer of clear cornea from a donor eye.

mesh graft

skin grafts in which multiple small incisions have been made to permit lateral stretching of the graft and to increase flexibility to facilitate placement in tricky sites.

Mesh graft. By permission from Slatter D, Textbookof Small Animal Surgery, Saunders, 2002

omental g's

free or attached segments of omentum used to cover suture lines following gastrointestinal or colonic surgery.

patch graft

used in the surgical repair of tissue defects of the esophagus and to enlarge the pulmonary outflow tract. In-lay patches replace missing tissue. On-lay patches reinforce existing tissue.

pedicle graft

a portion of skin and subcutaneous tissue with a vascular attachment moved from one part of the body to another. Grafted to the new site, they not only can survive because of their own vascular supply, they can improve circulation in the site. Called also pedicle flap.

penetrating graft

a full-thickness corneal transplant.

periosteal graft

a piece of periosteum to cover a denuded bone.

pinch graft

a piece of skin graft about 6 mm in diameter, obtained by elevating the skin with a needle and slicing it off with a knife.

punch graft

grafts are obtained by using a skin biopsy punch on the animal or on a piece of separated skin.

graft rejection

see rejection.

seed graft

small pieces of skin are imbedded in granulation tissue on the same patient.

sieve graft

a skin graft from which tiny circular islands of skin are removed so that a larger denuded area can be covered, the sievelike portion being placed over one area, and the individual islands over surrounding or other denuded areas.

skin graft

a piece of skin implanted to replace a lost part of the integument. Many types of graft are used and are included in this list.

split-skin graft

a skin graft consisting of only a portion of the skin thickness.

sponge graft

a bit of sponge inserted into a wound to promote the formation of granulations.

stamp graft

squares of split-thickness or full-thickness skin are placed on a bed of granulation tissue.

thick-split graft

a skin graft cut in pieces, often including about two-thirds of the full thickness of the skin.

tubed graft

see rope flap.

tunnel graft

see rope flap.

vascular graft

see vascular conduit.

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skin graft

Autologous, donated, or surrogate skin removed from one site to cover surfaces on another region with 3^rd-degree burns or traumatic tissue loss. See Split-thickness graft. Cf Artificial skin, 'Spray-on' skin.