Flaps and Grafts
Introduction
Flaps can be described by the five C's:
- circulation (random, axial)
- composition (cutaneous, fascial, musculocutaneous, muscle, osseocutaneous, osseous)
- contiguity (local, regional, distant, free)
- contour (advancement, transposition, rotation, interpolation,
- conditioning
Skin grafts can be full-thickness or split-thickness.
Split-skin grafts contain variable amounts of dermis. They often come from the thigh or buttock.
Full-thickness grafts contain the entire dermis. They are taken from areas with in which removal does not impair direct closure.
Clinical Usage and Tips
Risk Factors
Skin Graft Healing
Healing occurs in four phases:
adherence
serum imbibition
revascularization: begins on 4th day
remodelling
Skin Graft Failure
Failure can occur for a number of reasons:
hematoma (most common)
- reduced via hemostasis, using meshed skin graft, and applying pressure dressing
infection
seroma
shear
inhospitable bed
technical error
Clinical Vignette 1
A person takes this treatment for this reason due to concerns re: condition
This happens.
How do you respond?
Clinical Vignette 2
Additional Resources
Topic Development
created: DLP, Aug 09
authors: DLP, Aug 09
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