title: Avoiding knee skin sloughs.
abstract: To avoid skin sloughs about the knee following knee arthroplasty, the principles that need to be emphasized are the blood supply in the area so that appropriate incisions can be designed; careful operative technique to avoid hematomas; appropriate use of drains and dressings; and postoperative care that monitors increased range-of-motion as it affects the wound. Should secondary coverage be needed, the options include secondary closure, skin graft, muscle or myocutaneous flaps, and on rare occasions, a free tissue transfer. In this way, the plastic surgeon can assist the orthopaedist by providing the appropriate soft tissue coverage in difficult knee surgical situations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY 10003.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000098:blood supply; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014945:Wound Healing