Lower Abdomen as a Donor Site for Large Full-Thickness Skin Grafts

Conversely, full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) have improved adjacent skin pigmentation matching and higher levels of sensation, are highly resistant to trauma, and the donor site pain is typically better tolerated. 1 The historical limitations of FTSGs include lower survival rate and they are largely limited by the size of the area they can cover and the area of the donor site wound. Using these codes, 314 patients were identified and then information about complications, technique, and wound measurements were extracted from the electronic medical records. The FTSG was then trimmed to fit the recipient defect and sewn into place with nylon suture and a bolster made of cotton with mineral oil and/or water-based jelly that was kept in place until follow-up in the clinic. 4 The donor site was repaired primarily in a standard layered fashion (Figure 1).