Biomaterial Database

Depth of the graft bed influences split-skin graft contraction. 2003

I Mensík, and E N Lamme, and P Brychta

Department of Burns and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic.

Contraction of a split-thickness skin graft used for coverage of large defects remains a great problem in plastic, burn and reconstructive surgery. In this study we evaluated healing of split-thickness skin grafts transplanted in wounds on the subcutaneous fat and muscle fascia in pigs. Four young domestic female pigs were included in the study, and the contraction was measured planimetrically during a 3-months' follow-up. At the end of the study the scar tissue was histologically assessed. From day 42 till the end of the study grafts transplanted on the muscle fascia were significantly more contracted than grafts on the subcutaneous fat without (p < 0.001) and with (p < 0.005, unpaired t-test) correction for the growth of the animal. The histological assessment showed that after 3 months the regenerated dermal tissue in the muscle fascia wounds was thicker, and less remodeled (higher tissue cellularity and thinner collagen bundles). In conclusion, in pigs, split-thickness skin grafts transplanted into deeper wounds contract more, and scar tissue maturation seems to last longer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002056	Burns	Injuries to tissues caused by contact with heat, steam, chemicals (BURNS, CHEMICAL), electricity (BURNS, ELECTRIC), or the like.	Burn
D002921	Cicatrix	The fibrous tissue that replaces normal tissue during the process of WOUND HEALING.	Scars,Cicatrization,Scar,Scarring
D005205	Fascia	Layers of connective tissue of variable thickness. The superficial fascia is found immediately below the skin; the deep fascia invests MUSCLES, nerves, and other organs.
D005260	Female		Females
D000273	Adipose Tissue	Specialized connective tissue composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It is the site of stored FATS, usually in the form of TRIGLYCERIDES. In mammals, there are two types of adipose tissue, the WHITE FAT and the BROWN FAT. Their relative distributions vary in different species with most adipose tissue being white.	Fatty Tissue,Body Fat,Fat Pad,Fat Pads,Pad, Fat,Pads, Fat,Tissue, Adipose,Tissue, Fatty
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013552	Swine	Any of various animals that constitute the family Suidae and comprise stout-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals with thick skin, usually covered with coarse bristles, a rather long mobile snout, and small tail. Included are the genera Babyrousa, Phacochoerus (wart hogs), and Sus, the latter containing the domestic pig (see SUS SCROFA).	Phacochoerus,Pigs,Suidae,Warthogs,Wart Hogs,Hog, Wart,Hogs, Wart,Wart Hog
D014945	Wound Healing	Restoration of integrity to traumatized tissue.	Healing, Wound,Healings, Wound,Wound Healings
D016038	Skin Transplantation	The grafting of skin in humans or animals from one site to another to replace a lost portion of the body surface skin.	Dermatoplasty,Grafting, Skin,Transplantation, Skin,Dermatoplasties,Graftings, Skin,Skin Grafting,Skin Graftings,Skin Transplantations,Transplantations, Skin
D040521	Subcutaneous Tissue	Loose connective tissue lying under the DERMIS, which binds SKIN loosely to subjacent tissues. It may contain a pad of ADIPOCYTES, which vary in number according to the area of the body and vary in size according to the nutritional state.	Fascia, Superficial,Hypodermis,Tela Subcutanea,Subcutaneous Tissues,Superficial Fascia,Tissue, Subcutaneous,Tissues, Subcutaneous