title: An alternative coverage for split thickness skin graft donor site wounds.
abstract: Diabetic foot and ankle soft tissue reconstruction poses a difficult challenge to the treating surgeon, especially in cases associated with previous infection or amputation. Maintenance of a functional, plantigrade limb is important with regard to prevention of persistent or recurrent cutaneous compromise following diabetic limb salvage. Wound coverage by means of application of a split thickness skin graft (STSG) is a useful technique; however, donor site wounds require care during the early postoperative period, and can pose a challenge to wound healing in and of themselves. In this article, we describe a technique of management of STSG donor site wounds that we have found to be useful and well tolerated by our patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Podiatric Medicine/Surgery, INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA. bryan.sagray@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bryan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sagray
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lalani
authors.forename: Vineet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mehan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing