BEHAVIOR OF SPLIT-THICKNESS, DERMAL, AND FULL-THICKNESS SKIN GRAFTS IN THORACIC CAVITY

Abstract

THE USE of autogenous dermal skin grafts in clinical thoracic surgery has been reported by several investigators. In 1949, Gebauer * first recorded the use of dermal grafts for the repair of benign strictures of the trachea and bronchus. Sealy,⁶in 1952, wrote of similar experiences with this type of graft in the reconstruction of portions of the trachea. The utilization of a full-thickness skin graft for the repair of a penetrating wound of the trachea was reported in 1953 by Hanner,⁷and split-thickness skin grafts to cover thoracic wall defects have been reported by Pickrell and others.⁸ Experimental data on the growth of skin in the thorax is exceedingly limited. In 1952, Geever⁹recorded the repair of diaphragmatic defects in dogs with cutis grafts. Horton and associates¹⁰have investigated the use of skin to repair arterial defects of the thoracic and abdominal arteries in dogs.