title: Hydrogel-impregnated dressings for graft fixation: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infection is the second most common cause of graft loss after skin grafting. Cutimed Sorbact is a range of dressings coated with a hydrophobic fatty acid that irreversibly binds to the bacterial surface and mechanically removes bacteria from the wound. The dressing is a hydrogel-impregnated material, which prevents wounds from drying. Here, we report on cases in which we used the gel instead of the widely used petrolatum gauze or paraffin gauze in a tie-over dressing for the fixation of grafted skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients treated for skin grafting between March 2013 and July 2013 were treated with the hydrogel-impregnated dressings and a tie over dressing. The wounds were opened five days after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total seven patients were treated with an age range of 23-86 years old. No infections were seen and the method was effective regardless of wound size, the thickness of the skin harvested and condition of the defect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using this hydrogel-impregnated dressings, provide antibacterial and moisturising effects simultaneously, which a petrolatum or paraffin gauze cannot provide.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
authors.affiliation: Resident at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: J-H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Instructor at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: S-M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Professor at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Resident at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Professor at Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010232:Paraffin; D010577:Petrolatum; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005782:Gels; D010232:Paraffin; D010577:Petrolatum
keywords: infection; paraffin; petrolatum; skin graft; sorbact; sorbact gel