title: Defying consensus: correct sizing of full-thickness skin grafts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Full-Thickness skin grafts are routinely used to reconstruct defects throughout the body. When planning the size of the graft, the surgeon usually copies a template from the defect and measures the graft to fit its full dimensions. This may lead to an oversized graft, resulting an unaesthetic outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate discrepancy in size between the excised full-thickness skin and the excision (donor) site.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 20 cases of full-thickness excisions was reviewed and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a considerable difference in length of both the short and long axes between the excised full-thickness skin and the excision site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The initial size of a full-thickness skin graft should be smaller than the defect it is planned to cover.
authors.affiliation: Mohs Micrographic Surgery Unit, Israel.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zilinsky
authors.forename: Nimrod
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farber
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: Hadar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Israeli
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haik
authors.forename: Noam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Domniz
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Winkler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome