CLINICAL EXPERIENCE OF SPLIT THICKNESS SKIN GRAFTS WITH NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY

Abstract

　　This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a split-thickness skin graft with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). From July 2010 to October 2011, five patients with widespread wounds and skin defects requiring skin grafting were treated with NPWT using a vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.) system. The mean age of the patients was 46.8 years (range, 20-78), and the mean size of the skin defects was 140cm² (range, 75-200cm²), The V.A.C. system was set to deliver 125mmHg of continuous negative pressure and was maintained for three to five days after surgery. Two weeks after surgery, we assessed the graft survival rate as the final result. The graft survival rate was 100% in three cases, and about 90% in two cases in which the wound conditions were worse than in the other three cases. We recommend that the skin graft should be covered with a non-adhering dressing acting as an interface between the skin graft and foam in order to prevent graft disruption, if a dressing change is planned three days after surgery.