title: The Fixomull skin support method for wound closure in patients with fragile skin.
abstract: We report the Fixomull (BSN Medical, Hamburg, Germany) skin support technique for wound closure, a novel method for closing elliptical incisions in patients with fragile skin. After the lesion of concern is excised, a strip of Fixomull is applied to the skin adjacent to the wound edge with an approximately 2 mm gap between the Fixomull and the incision edge. The wound is then closed with interrupted sutures through the Fixomull, with care to ensure wound edge eversion. Fixomull provides extra tensile strength. The sutures are removed at approximately 14 days, and the patient given a prophylactic course of oral antibiotics only if at high risk of infection. This is a simple, time efficient, inexpensive and effective measure to avoid skin grafts and reduce skin tears and trauma in patients with thin, fragile skin. In our practice there have been no significant skin infections using this technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. rachael.foster@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: Rachael S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology; D053832:Surgical Tape; D013536:Suture Techniques