Types and Properties of Skin Grafts That Are Transplanted to Damaged Areas of the Body - Term Paper Example

The paper “Types and Properties of Skin Grafts That Are Transplanted to Damaged Areas of the Body" is an informative example of a term paper on health sciences & medicine. When we get burned enough to destroy our skin tissues, we would need to undergo skin grafting. Grafting is a surgical procedure wherein tissue is moved from one body part to another, or from one person to another, without bringing its own blood supply with it. The blood supply is dependent on the site where the skin is transferred.

The most common grafting procedure is skin grafting. This most often happens in burns, as in the case mentioned above, although there are other situations wherein there is a need for skin grafting. Whenever there is damaged skin, skin grafting is needed. The transplanted skin tissue is called a skin graft. It consists of the epidermis and dermis, though the blood supply is not included with it. There are two types of skin grafts: split-thickness and full-thickness (Triana, p.41). Split thickness grafts consist of the epidermis and a segment of the papillary dermis.

The thickness depends on where it came from, the body part and the skin color. These are usually harvested with a razor blade. The thinnest parts are the eyelids and the thickest are the soles of the feet (Triana, p.41). Split thickness grafts are highly reliable but have limited usefulness, such as repairing wounds in the scalp (as in brain surgeries). Full-thickness grafts, on the other hand, are most useful for facial defects, although they have higher graft failure. These are thicker as the entire thickness of epidermis and dermis is harvested.

There should be adequate blood supply in the recipient site to make sure that the skin graft will survive. This is usually done with open leg fractures or severe infections. Split thickness skin grafts are more successful than full-thickness because of the abundant capillary network it has although it may be less durable (Swalm, p.327). Hair growth may also be absent with split-thickness grafts. A skin graft is not merely used for beautification purposes. It is primarily used to close a wound.

It serves as a wound covering, important in the healing of that particular wound. It also serves as a replacement for missing skin, a covering that is necessary for protection. If damaged skin remains open or unhealed, it will cause further damage not just in the skin area but underneath it as well. It can also compromise the health of the patient as it may become infected. Skin grafts are recommended for the following reasons: surgeries, like in head injuries, ulcer, skin cancer surgery, burns, very large wounds, and cosmetic or reconstructive surgeries.

The procedure for skin grafting is very delicate. Any failure in the proper procedure may mean bleeding, infection, damage of the skin graft or nerves of the patient or rejection of the skin graft by the recipient. It is very important that the recipient site is clean and free from any dead tissue, foreign matter or bacterial contamination as these may jeopardize the entire operation. Other risks for the surgery are bleeding reduced or increased skin sensitivity, scarring, skin discoloration or uneven skin surface.

Skin grafts are not simple operations wherein you patch a wound with skin tissue. It is a delicate procedure. It is not merely used to enhance one’s beauty as what is commonly known for facial surgery. It is an important surgery to ensure that one’s large wounds are closed and healed to prevent further damage in the tissues and blood vessels of the patient.