Comparison of Length of Hospital Stay According to Differences in Skin Graft Methods

Abstract

Skin grafts are occasionally used to repair mucosal defects in oral surgery. The stability of dento-maxillary prostheses can be acquired through the use of skin grafts. We report our method for skin grafting and summarize the results obtained in nine patients who received maxillofacial prosthetics. The procedure involves the following steps: 1） skin incision, 2） taking a split-thickness skin graft, 3） dermal layer excision, and 4） reefing of skin. This method was developed to simplify postoperative management and minimize scarring. Skin grafts obtained with a scalpel can easily be engrafted to the site of defects. The wound at the donor site can then be closed by suturing. Our technique was used in nine patients （3 men, 6 women） 33 to 79 years of age. Seven patients had squamous cell carcinoma, and the other two had verrucous carcinoma. Donor sites were the inguinal region （n＝5）, supraclavicular region （n＝3）, and axillary skin （n＝1）. Excellent postoperative outcomes were obtained in all patients. These results suggest that our method for skin grafting may facilitate postoperative management and shorten the hospital stay.