SPLIT SKIN-GRAFTING ON SEVERELY DAMAGED SKIN - A TECHNIQUE USING ABSORBABLE TISSUE ADHESIVE

BACKGROUND. Patients with severely damaged skin are more likely to dev elop skin malignancies. However, suturing following excision of tumors is difficult due to their fragile skin. OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the ef fectiveness of a technique using butyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive in split skin grafts in patients with severely damaged skin. METHOD. The technique was used in 19 patients with 24 skin tumors. Two patient s also had multiple skin biopsies to assess the biodegradability of th e adhesive. RESULTS. Split skin grafts were applied successfully in al l patients. The adhesive was completely absorbed without a foreign bod y reaction within 6 months. CONCLUSION. We recommend the use of butyl- 2-cyanoacrylate in split skin grafting patients with severely damaged skin.