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A Comparison of Full and Split Thickness Skin Grafts in Radial Forearm Donor Sites

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Hand and Microsurgery

Abstract

To formally evaluate the functional and aesthetic outcomes between full versus split thickness skin graft coverage of radial forearm free flap donor sites. A retrospective chart review of 47 patients who underwent pedicled or free radial forearm free flap reconstruction from May 1997 to August 2004 was performed. Comparisons were made between patients who had donor site coverage with split thickness skin grafts (STSG) or full thickness skin grafts (FTSG). There was no statistically significant difference between the STSG and FTSG in the number of post-operative dressings, incidence of tendon exposure, time to healing at the skin graft donor site, and time to healing at the skin graft recipient site. The questionnaire data showed there was a trend toward higher scores with the radial forearm scar aesthetics and satisfaction in the FTSG group. Full thickness skin graft coverage of radial forearm free flap donor site is superior to split thickness skin graft coverage in terms of aesthetic outcome, and has no statistically significant difference in terms of tendon exposure, time to healing at the skin graft donor site, time to healing at the skin graft recipient site, or post operative pain.

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Disclosure Statement

The authors have no financial interests to disclose and there were no external sources of funding provided for this project. This original article has not been presented at any meetings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Wellington J. Davis III, Cindy Wu, David Sieber & Darl K. Vandevender

  2. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Drexel University, College of Medicine, Erie Avenue at Front Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19134, USA

    Wellington J. Davis III

  3. Department of General Surgery, The University of Chicago Hospitals, 5841 S. Maryland Ave. MC 6040, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Cindy Wu

  4. Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    David Sieber

Authors
  1. Wellington J. Davis III
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  2. Cindy Wu
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  3. David Sieber
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  4. Darl K. Vandevender
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Correspondence to David Sieber.

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Davis, W.J., Wu, C., Sieber, D. et al. A Comparison of Full and Split Thickness Skin Grafts in Radial Forearm Donor Sites. J Hand Microsurg 3, 18–24 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12593-011-0036-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12593-011-0036-9

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