SUCCESS OF DELAYED FULL-THICKNESS SKIN-GRAFTS AFTER MOHS MICROGRAPHICSURGERY

Background: Specific factors affect the outcome of full-thickness skin grafts after Mohs micrographic surgery. No recent clinical studies ha ve systematically investigated the clinical factors that may affect th e success of full-thickness skin grafts. Objective: Our objective was to analyze patient data to define factors that may influence the succe ss of full-thickness skin grafts. Methods: We reviewed the clinical co urse of 117 patients who had full-thickness skin grafts after Mobs mic rographic surgery. We analyzed these cases using patient variables, tu mor variables, and skin graft variables and then correlated these vari ables to skin graft success. Results: Delay of skin graft placement (> 1 day) was significantly correlated with subsequent skin graft success (p = 0.015). Skin graft necrosis was more likely to develop in men th an in women (p = 0.021). Conclusion: A delay of 2 to 8 days between Mo hs micrographic surgery and full-thickness skin graft placement result ed in a lower incidence of skin graft necrosis than no delay or a dela y of 1 day.