Open Medicine (Nov 2021)

Usage of intermingled skin allografts and autografts in a senior patient with major burn injury

  • Luo Hongmin,
  • Bian Huining,
  • Sun Chuanwei,
  • Zheng Shaoyi,
  • Xiong Bing,
  • Huang Zhifeng,
  • Liu Zuan,
  • Ma Lianghua,
  • Li Hanhua,
  • Chen Huade,
  • Lai Wen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1515/med-2021-0395
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 1
pp. 1745 – 1748

Abstract

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Mortality rate in older adults following extensive burn injury is extremely high, and management of these patients is challenging. One of the main problems is that autologous split-thickness skin grafts are scarce and the wounds cannot be covered quickly and effectively. Intermingled skin grafting is a low-tech and economic method, which not only maximizes the use of precious autologous skin but also prevents the wounds from infection and consumption. Herein we present a case of extensive burn injury in a 68-year-old female successfully treated with intermingled skin grafting. The patient was accidentally burned by gas flame, resulting in a major burn injury covering 80% of her total body surface area. Early burn wound excision was performed and the wound was temporarily covered with irradiated porcine skin in the first week after injury. Autologous stamp-like skin grafts were applied to the wound bed 4 weeks after injury. In this operation, the results were not satisfactory. The take rate of the skin grafts is only about 50%. We covered the wounds with intermingled skin allografts and autografts 8 weeks after injury: autografts (0.5 cm × 0.5 cm) + fresh close relative’s allografts (1 cm × 1 cm) + cryopreserved allografts (2 cm × 2 cm).

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