Procedure:
Removal of part of the body skin, which is diseased
or damaged, and a skin graft applied to the defect.
The skin graft will come from another part of the
body. This will require the use of a skin knife to
collect the skin.
Risks of this procedure:
There are some risks/ complications, which include:
(a) The skin graft may not take. This may require
further surgery.
(b) Blood and fluid may build up under the graft and
may need removal.
(c) The skin graft may not look like normal skin. This
may be permanent.
(d) The colour of the grafted area may be different
from other parts of the skin.
(e) The donor area for the graft may:-
- discharge blood stained fluid which may
need to be drained - be slow to heal
- be thickened or discoloured in the final
healed area and may look different.
(f) The wound may not heal properly and can
become red, thickened and painful. This can be
disfiguring.
(g) Increased risk in obese people of wound
infection, chest infection, heart and lung
complications and thrombosis.
(h) Increased risk in smokers of wound and chest
infections, heart and lung complications and
thrombosis.