Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Full-thickness skin graft was a base for burn and plastic surgery, while uniform pressure and regional brake were key factors to ensure skin graft survival and avoid from necrosis. Traditionally, package and pressurized fixation were performed after skin transplantation; however, it induced residual dead space and unclear skin graft fixation, as well as suturing scar.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of vacuum sealing drainage applied to full-thickness skin graft.
METHODS: A total of 8 New Zealand rabbits were used to establish full-thickness skin graft models in three regions of bilateral spine. Vacuum sealing drainage, traditional pressurized suture and common wrapping were performed in the three regions, respectively. The skin graft survival was observed, and survival rate was calculated at 14 and 21 days. On the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days, samples were selected from skin graft and stained. The morphology was observed under light microscope and transmission electron microscope. The time to remove the drain vessel was that when the fluid was not increased or the fluid was clear.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The survival rate of vacuum sealing drainage group was significantly higher than that in other two group (P < 0.05), while the survival rate of traditional pressurized suture group was significantly higher than that in the common wrapping group (P < 0.05). Morphology examination demonstrated that regional cuticular layer was necrotic in the vacuum sealing drainage group after early skin transplantation, while inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblast degeneration, and mitochondrial swelling were also observed. At later skin transplantation, fibroblast and basal cell were proliferated, and function of mitochondria and plasmid was active. This suggested that vacuum sealing drainage promoted survival rate of skin graft.