Welcome to our Skin Grafts and Transplants blog! Here we hope to detail the procedure, recent issues, research, and relevance to health care policy in the field of skin grafts and transplants.
Skin is the largest organ of the human body, represents about 16% of the total body weight, and covers the large majority of the body. As the external covering of the body, skin is the first line of defense against infection from pathogens in the environment. Skin also provides the sensation of touch and pressure, prevents water loss, insulates the body, and regulates body temperature. Therefore, it is an essential barrier and mediator to the outside world that must be maintained. Primary methods to restore irreversibly damaged skin include skin grafts and transplants.
Skin grafting is a step on the reconstructive ladder for wounds that cannot be closed primarily. The "reconstructive ladder" is a generalized term coined to describe complex stepwise procedure to treat physical external injury. Skin grafting is categorized into five distinct types: Autologous (donor and recipient are the same), Isogeneic (donor and recipient are genetically identical), Allogeneic (donor and recipient are same species), xenogeneic (donor and recipient are of different species), and prosthetic (replacement of lost tissue by synthetic materials).
Leg Ulcers
Skin Grafting for DiabeticsI looked for an article dealing with diabetic leg ulcers since both my dad has diabetes and my grandfather passed away from complications of the disease. Foot ulcers was a large complication that my grandfather had to battle and it unfortunately led to several amputations. This article discusses an important use of skin grafting for diabetics with leg or foot ulcers. Ten to fifteen percent of diabetics are at risk of this danger, which is the leading cause of hospitalization and amputation. While the current treatment of wound wraps and protective footwear can be successful, it is inefficient at healing all ulcers. This article, which was published in the late 90s when the method was first being tested, details how successful skin grafting can be for diabetics. The skin grafting method provides diabetics with an alternative to the lengthy time and money that may need to be spent for hospitalization or amputation.
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