Skin Grafting: Principles & Practice for Students
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28 cards
Question: What are the main advantages of full-thickness skin grafts (FTSG) compared with thinner grafts?
Answer: FTSGs show excellent function and sensitivity after engraftment and are preferred for reconstruction of aesthetically dominant (face) or functionally
Question: Where are common donor sites for full-thickness skin grafts used for facial reconstruction?
Answer: Retroauricular region and above the eyebrows (superior eyebrow region); in adults retroauricular skin is helpful; excess upper eyelid and submental sk
Question: Which donor sites are ideal for full-thickness grafts used in hand reconstruction?
Answer: Hypothenar area and the anterior wrist fold are ideal; elbow crease and wrist fold have been described but may be culturally problematic; hypothenar g
Question: Why should the main axis of a hypothenar full-thickness graft be positioned slightly dorsal to the glabrous–skin border?
Answer: To avoid a hypersensitive scar and an unpleasant sensation when the hand rests on a table in a relaxed position.
Question: What limitations exist for harvesting full-thickness skin grafts?
Answer: Donor sites are limited and require primary wound closure or split-thickness skin grafting after harvest; need loose surrounding skin to achieve prima
Question: How should most full-thickness grafts be prepared after harvest to encourage graft take?
Answer: They need defatting—spread the graft over the index finger and trim fat tangentially to the skin to encourage revascularization and graft take.
Question: What are composite grafts and how do they differ from full-thickness grafts?
Answer: Composite grafts include a layer of subcutaneous fat under the dermal and epidermal layers, whereas full-thickness grafts do not include this addition
Question: What are the donor-site considerations and limitations for composite grafts?
Answer: Donor sites are principally the same as for full-thickness grafts; because fat is less vascularized and more vulnerable to ischemia, optimal revascula
Question: In which patient group are composite grafts particularly useful and why?
Answer: Children—because they show a remarkable capacity to revascularize thicker grafts, making composite grafts more likely to survive.
Question: What are typical reconstructive uses for composite grafts mentioned in the content?
Answer: Some surgeons use composite grafts to reconstruct the nasal tip, the alar, and the columella in cleft lip patients.