Purposes of Skin Graft Surgery:
Wound Healing: Skin grafts can help wounds, especially large or non-healing ones, to heal more effectively by providing a protective covering.
Burn Treatment: It is an important approach in the treatment of burn injuries since it helps to restore skin integrity and decrease scarring.
Scar Revision: Scars can be improved through skin grafts, making them less apparent or even unnoticeable.
Reconstruction: This technique is used to rebuild areas following tumor excision during breast reconstruction and to repair abnormalities caused by trauma or congenital disorders.
Chronic Ulcer Treatment: Skin grafts are useful in the treatment of chronic ulcers such as pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers.
The Skin Graft Procedure:
Consultation: The procedure starts with a consultation with an experienced surgeon. You will discuss your medical history the nature of the skin problem and your expectations during this consultation. Your surgeon will evaluate the situation and recommend the best course of action.
Anesthesia: Depending on the extent and location of the graft, skin graft surgery can be performed under local or general anesthesia.
Donor Site Selection: A suitable donor location is selected which is usually a region with surplus healthy skin. Thigh, buttocks and upper arm are common donor sites.
Graft Harvesting: The surgeon carefully removes a portion of healthy skin from the donor location, making sure it matches the size and shape of the grafted area.
Graft Placement: The harvested skin is properly sutured or fixed in place on the prepared incision or recipient site.
