Phone: 817-697-4038 Fax: 877-409-3962

SKIN GRAFT

If you have suffered from an injury or condition that resulted in damage to your skin, don’t hesitate to Schedule an appointment with one of our providers to see if a skin graft may help you.

SKIN GRAFTS

During this surgery, surgeons remove healthy skin from an unaffected part of the body and utilize it to cover lost or damaged skin. This procedure is applicable for open fractures, extensive wounds, or instances where a section of skin is surgically excised, such as in cases of severe burns or tumor removals.

PARTIAL OR SPLIT-THICKNESS SKIN GRAFT

In this process, surgeons remove a paper-thin layer of skin from a region known for typically effective healing, like the thigh, buttocks, or calf.

Depending on your skin tone, the donor site might appear slightly lighter than the surrounding skin for several months. Occasionally, partial skin grafts result in a faint scar.

FULL-THICKNESS SKIN GRAFT

The surgeon removes the top layer of the skin and underlying layers, then stitches the area closed.

Full-thickness skin grafts usually originate from areas such as the neck, behind the ear, the upper arm, and the groin.

Due to its thickness, this type of skin graft faces challenges in establishing a new blood supply. Therefore, any dressing will remain in place for 5-7 days before the surgical team removes it.

WHAT DOES THIS PROCEDURE TREAT?

This procedure treats damaged skin that cannot properly heal on its own and help people who have skin loss due to:

  • Burns
  • Infection
  • Surgery to remove skin cancer
  • Skin ulcers and bedsores
  • Slow-healing wounds
  • Large wounds

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THIS PROCEDURE?

Before the skin graft procedure, an anesthesiologist administers either general or local anesthesia to the patient, depending on the size and location of the injured area.

Once the skin graft is in position, it is secured with stitches, clips, or medical glue. Subsequently, a sterile dressing is applied over the graft until it integrates with the surrounding blood supply, a process that typically spans 5-7 days.

To safeguard against infection, a dressing is also placed over the donor site. Partial-thickness skin graft donor areas usually heal within about 2 weeks. Full-thickness skin grafts typically involve a small skin area and are usually closed with stitches, resulting in donor area healing within about 5-10 days.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A SKIN GRAFT PROCEDURE?

Initially, the skin graft site may exhibit a red or purple hue, but over time, it should gradually resemble the surrounding skin. Although it may take 1-2 years for the skin graft to closely match the surrounding skin, the final color may still exhibit slight variations and a minor indentation.

 

 

If you would like to speak to one of our providers in North Texas, give us a call at 817-697-4038, or contact us over the web. Telemedicine appointments are also available.