title: [Evaluation of the growth and contraction of composite skin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the growth and contraction of different composite skin grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The status of the following composite skin grafts was evaluated over 2 years: allogeneic sucking pig dermis and autologous epidermis (group 1, n = 19), allogeneic young pig dermis and autologous epidermis (group 2, n = 7), autologous epidermis (group 3, n = 8). The effects of gestation on the composite skin grafts were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It showed that composite skin grafts had smooth surface and no scar formation during 2 to 124 weeks after transplantation. After week 36, the surface area of each group enlarged with different growth rates: group 1 > group 2 > group 3 (P < 0.01). Whole piece grafting was significantly better than joining together of smaller pieces after week 24 (P < 0.001). During pregnancy, CS had good growth ability and elasticity (P < 0.01). Histological study showed that group 1 had rapid growth of skin papillae and epidermal ridges similar to normal skin at week 24.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As CS graft with trypsin treated allogeneic sucking pig dermis as a substitute for dermis showed the advantages of rapid growth, good elasticity and stability, it is suggested that it could be used in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Xijing Hospital, 4th Military Medical University, Xi'an.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D006085:Graft Survival; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods