The Australian Mohs database: short-term recipient-site complications in full-thickness skin grafts.
BACKGROUND
There are only a few reports on the outcome with full-thickness skin grafts (FTSG) in defect reconstruction after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS).


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the complications with FTSG in patients treated with MMS for cutaneous tumors.


METHODS
This study is based on a prospective data collection of all patients in Australia treated with MMS and monitored by the Skin and Cancer Foundation, between 1993 and 2002. Primary outcome measures were FTSG recipient-site complications (partial/complete graft failure, graft infection, acute bleeding/hematoma, graft hypertrophy, and graft contracture).


RESULTS
The study group included 2,673 patients (50.2% men) with a mean age of 64+/-14 years. Most tumors were basal call carcinoma (90.9%) and were located on the nose (63.8%), periocular area (14.8%), or auricular area (8.1%). A total of 11.7% of cases had recipient-site complications (graft hypertrophy, 42.3%; partial graft failure, 27.2%; graft contraction, 15.3%). Only 45.2% of complicated cases required treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term recipient-site complications occurred in less than 12% of reconstructions with FTSG. Graft hypertrophy and partial graft failure accounted for most cases of complications. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Leibovitch
Igal
I
Oculoplastic & Orbital Division, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. leiboigal5@yahoo.com.au
Huilgol
Shyamala C
SC
Richards
Shawn
S
Paver
Robert
R
Selva
Dinesh
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004431:Ear, External; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015580:Mohs Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009666:Nose; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome