title: K-wire assisted split-thickness skin graft harvesting from the anterior trunk.
abstract: Split thickness skin graft (STSG) harvesting from the anterior chest and abdominal wall skin is quite a difficult process. The main reason for the difficulty to perform this process is the unsuitable anatomic characteristics of the anterior trunk, such as irregular wavy-like surface over the ribs and lax abdominal wall skin resulting in collapse due to lack of adequate underneath supporting structures when a downward force is applied by the skin graft dermatome. Lower extremity and especially the thigh are generally chosen as the donor site where the STSGs are easily harvested from. However, extensive lower extremity burns, with or without other region burns, preclude harvesting auto STSGs from this invaluable anatomic site. We harvested K-wire assisted STSGs from the anterior chest and abdominal wall skin of 7 patients with lower extremity burns and also a patient that sustained motor vehicle collision. We encountered no problems in any of our patients both intra and postoperatively by using K-wire assisted STSG harvesting. All of the STSGs donor sites healed uneventfully without complications. In our opinion, K-wire assisted STSG harvesting must always be in the tool-box of any surgeon who deals with extensive burns with or without lower extremity burns and extensive traumas of lower extremities.
authors.affiliation: Sanliurfa Mehmet Akif Inan Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, Burn Unit, Sanliurfa, Turkey. Electronic address: dr.yyontar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yontar
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University, Medical Faculty, Department of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, Burn Unit, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: atilla.coruh@superonline.com.
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coruh
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University, Medical Faculty, Department of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, Burn Unit, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: mehmetsevercan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Severcan
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001864:Bone Wires; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Abdominal wall; Burns; Chest wall; K-wire; Kirschner wire; Skin graft; Split thickness skin graft; Trunk