Usefulness of a Silicone Wound Contact Layer for Securing a Full Thickness Skin Graft

Chi, Seong Geun; Lee, Seok Jong; Lee, Jae Chul; Kim, Byung Soo; Lee, Weon Ju; Kim, Do Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The tie-over dressing is the classic dressing method for a full thickness skin graft (FTSG) to secure the graft on the skin defect. Although many methods to secure the graft have currently been employed, they have some disadvantages such as stretching discomforts and irregular pressure delivery to the graft, resulting in partial necrosis or surface irregularity.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a porous, flexible and distensible silicone wound contact layer (Mepitel(R)) for securing a graft as a bolster fixation in FTSG reconstruction.
METHODS
Sixty seven patients with surgical defects following mainly malignant tumor excision were included in this study. After suturing and bolstering the graft in place, a piece of silicone contact layer was used to cover the graft, and then second sutures were placed to apply uniform pressure.
RESULTS
Thirty three cases of basal cell carcinoma, 14 cases of malignant melanoma and 10 cases of squamous cell carcinoma were included as a cause of the defects. Forty six defects were located on the head and neck, and the rest were on the trunk and extremities. The size of the surgical defects ranged from 0.5 to 14.0 cm at the greatest diameter (mean: 4.0 cm). One major and 1 minor loss of graft developed. Mild to moderate scar formation, mainly marginal elevation, occurred in 9 patients. Sixty five percents of the patients who had facial defects were satisfied with their results.
CONCLUSION
We suggested that a silicone wound contact layer for bolster fixation might be a useful material to secure a FTSG, and this is easy to apply and the resulting cosmesis is good and there are few problems with using it.