title: Widely expanded postage stamp skin grafts using a modified Meek technique in combination with an allograft overlay.
abstract: A method for obtaining widely expanded postage stamp autografts, first described in 1963 by C.P. Meek, has been evaluated in our burns unit. The technique, in which an expansion ratio of 1:9 is achieved with the aid of special prefolded gauzes, was combined with an overlay of glycerol-preserved allografts applied 1 week after grafting. This delay did not appear to affect graft take. In a series of 16 consecutive skin graft procedures performed on 10 patients with extensive burns, the mean epithelialization rate was 90 per cent (range 70-100 per cent) within 5 weeks. Cosmetic results were comparable to those achieved with widely expanded mesh grafts. The Meek technique utilizes small pieces of autograft, and has proved to be a practical alternative to mesh grafts when donor sites are limited.
authors: Red Cross Hospital, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
authors: R W
authors: RW
authors: Kreis
authors: D P
authors: DP
authors: Mackie
authors: A W
authors: AW
authors: Vloemans
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Hermans
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Hoekstra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome