title: Power drills to fenestrate exposed bone to stimulate wound healing.
abstract: Power drills can be used to stimulate the formation of granulation tissue over exposed cortical bone. These tools allow for the rapid fenestration and selective abrasion of large areas of exposed bone; fenestration and abrasion create the multiple bleeding points essential for the production of granulation tissue. The granulation tissue thus produced is allowed to grow out through the holes to cover bone. This procedure can be performed in an outpatient setting, usually without the need for either local or general anesthesia; it is particularly useful for patients considered to be poor risks for general anesthesia. Healing by granulation tissue is a somewhat slow process, but it has a high success rate, causes few complications, and produces very good cosmetic results. Two cases illustrate the method of fenestration of exposed cranial bone to stimulate granulation tissue. Specific instructions describe the needed care of exposed bone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska, Omaha.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Latenser
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Mohs
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weltman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hruza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010294:Parietal Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D012535:Scalp; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*