Soft-tack, porous substrates for harvesting skin grafts

Devices and methods for skin graft harvesting are disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, substrates for transplanting skin grafts are disclosed that include a soft-tack, biocompatible composition having a surface adapted to contact at least one excised skin graft and engage the graft for removal from a donor site. In another aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the skin-contacting surface of the substrate (or dressing) is porous to facilitate fluid transport into (or out of) the graft site during harvesting and/or transplantation. The substrates can also incorporate an absorbent component to capture fluids. The substrate can be a mesh or fabric or web, e.g. woven, knitted, nonwoven or molded. The substrate can be a mesh of biocompatible fibers, for example, cellulosic, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyesters or polyamide fibers. In one embodiment the mesh is formed of cellulose acetate fibers and coated with a silicone gel, to imparted the desire degree of tackiness.