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Skin Graft Fell off 2 Weeks After Mohs Surgery

asked 1 year ago by Richmond1915 in Richmond, VA
Latest answer by Andrew Kaufman, MD
Question viewed 2,292 times
Tags: graft, revision

2 weeks ago I had mohs..on nose..skin graft fell off to day -appears to be healing with big cavity ...is this correct or do I need to contact MD sooner that apt next week?

10 answers to Skin Graft Fell off 2 Weeks After Mohs Surgery

+1

Skin Graft Fell Off

A good rule of thumb is if it's not healing as expected go back and see the doctor that performed the surgery. A graft falling off is not expected so go back and let the doctor examine the area to determine what if anything needs to be done.
Andrew Kaufman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon

www.dermatology-center.com

+1

Grafts can be tricky

The best advice is to call your surgeon.  Sometimes grafts may look poor - but actually still be viable.  Other times they can fail or even fall off.  Either way, your doctor will be able to help you determine what happened and the best course of action at this time.
Jeffrey Ellis, MD

Long Island Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Skin Graft After Mohs Surgery

There is no real way to ascertain what has happened to the skin graft without an examination, and this should be done by your Surgeon sooner rather than later.  Skin grafts heal in phases, because they autogenous material without a blood supply.  Skin grafts (both full and split thickness) take weeks and usually months to look cosmetically acceptable.  For this reason, I very rarely use a skin graft on the nose unless there is a very specific reason to do so.  The initial... more
Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Skin Graft Questions Talk with your Surgeon

I would most certainly speak with your surgeon about your concerns. Anytime you have a question about healing, an in person consultation is necessary.
D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

How to tell if skin graft is lost?

Your story raises a couple of questions.  Many surgeons will tie a bolster dressing over a skin graft and leave for a week (or longer).  This becomes a bit soiled over the time and hard and can look like drying out skin.  Ocassionally a patient will lose this dressing and assume it's the graft. Alternatively it is possible that the graft had an infection or poor blood supply and did have a partial or complete NON-Take , that is it didn't get enough blood to... more
Daniel Berg, MD

Seattle Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Skin grafting after Mohs surgery

It is very common for a Mohs surgeon to harvest a skin graft to correct the surgical defect created when removing a skin cancer. If the graft does not take, which can happen, I would recommend you show the area to your surgeon so he or she can advise you on local care to the area.
Steven Hacker, MD

West Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

www.palmbeachdermasurgery.com

+1

Skin graft healing can vary

Skin "graft" healing can vary depending on the location, thickness, and size. Contacting your surgeon for an appointment would be a great idea so that you can develop a plan together. Often special attention to wound care can be very helpful.  The proper care of the graft site can be effective in making the skin heal more quickly and look better in the future. 
Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH

Sacramento Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Skin Graft Failure after Moh's Reconstruction

Without examination by an experienced surgeon much less a good quality photograph, it is impossible to advise you. Skin grafts can be either PARTIAL or FULL Thickness grafts. Both grafts need to be immobilized to allow blood vessels to grow into the grafts, take it over and nourish it. Graft failure can happen because of failure of this vascular ingrowth or infection. I would suggest you see your surgeon as he would be able to tell you immediately what is going on. Good Luck... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Skin graft fell off

Skin grafts may form a scab on the surface and the deeper part of the graft may be living when the surface comes off. Some grafts lose the dead skin cell layer in sheets without it being a dead graft, but the dead cells that normally flake off every day, and can't be seen, can accumulate under the dressing and peel off after a graft without injury to the graft.  If the whole graft forms a hard scab, it's rare to fall out unless it is traumatically pulled. Cover the wound... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Mohs Surgery: Graft failure

The best answer to your question will be provided by your treating physician as he/she understands the specifics of your surgery and your overall medical condition. A full graft being lost at this stage of your healing process may signify a general healing impairment or a partial thickness tissue loss. Either of these conditions could require further medical intervention. Once again, I believe that it is prudent to keep your physician informed of your condition and if there are any... more
James M. Ridgway, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

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