I had a full thickness forehead skin graft ten days ago with Mohs surgery for basal cell carcinoma. It's about the size of a half-dollar, skin came from the lower side of my neck. A nurse removed the bandage on day 7, and said the would dressing is dark red, but now on day 10 and still dark. How often does a graft look like this at ten days?
August 6, 2017
Answer: Skin Graft Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a skin graft will "take". For that matter, there is no guarantee with anything in medicine. That being said, there are questions doctors performing surgeries like this should ask their patients. They are questions about smoking, blood pressure and bleeding(such as taking blood thinners), as these can all put a graft or flap at risk. If there are risk factors present for either a graft or flap, the wound could be allowed to heal by itself. In this location and size of the wound, the result could be very acceptable. All of this could have been taken into consideration. As far as the fate of your graft, we'll, it doesn't look great, but still might take. If it doesn't take, it will probably be left in place as a "biologic dressing" until it sloughs off.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
August 6, 2017
Answer: Skin Graft Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a skin graft will "take". For that matter, there is no guarantee with anything in medicine. That being said, there are questions doctors performing surgeries like this should ask their patients. They are questions about smoking, blood pressure and bleeding(such as taking blood thinners), as these can all put a graft or flap at risk. If there are risk factors present for either a graft or flap, the wound could be allowed to heal by itself. In this location and size of the wound, the result could be very acceptable. All of this could have been taken into consideration. As far as the fate of your graft, we'll, it doesn't look great, but still might take. If it doesn't take, it will probably be left in place as a "biologic dressing" until it sloughs off.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
