title: The MEEK technique: 10-year experience at a tertiary burn centre.
abstract: Extensive full-thickness burns pose a great challenge to the burn surgeon. Lack of autograft donor sites is an important limiting factor to achieving wound closure. To overcome this problem, various methods of treatment have been suggested in the past, including the MEEK technique. This study was carried out at the Bogenhausen Hospital Burn Unit, Munich, Germany from 2006 to 2015. There were a total of 148 skin grafting operations. The modified MEEK technique was performed on 67 patients. Patients included 34 males and 33 females, with an average age of 39·6 years. The mean percentage body surface burned was 65%, and full-thickness injury occurred in 52%. The mean area graft per procedure was 20%. The viability of the graft as assessed between the 7th and 10th day was generally in the range of 60-90%. The average number of operations required was 2·21. The mean length of stay was 27 days. Infection was documented in five patients, and seven deaths occurred. The mean follow-up was 3·2 years. When faced with large surface area burns and limited donor sites, the MEEK technique is a satisfactory method for coverage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almodumeegh
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Heidekrueger
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Milomir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ninkovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubenbauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ektoras
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hadjipanayi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery, StKM - Klinikum Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: P Niclas
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Broer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D015626:Tissue Expansion / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Burn injury; Burn therapy; Large surface burns; MEEK; Skin graft