Recruited minced skin grafting for improving the skin appearance of the donor site of a split-thickness skin graft

OBJECTIVE: To improve skin appearance at the donor site of a split-thickness skin graft, part of the harvested skin was minced and grafted back onto the site in a process we named "recruited minced skin grafting." MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen Japanese patients who needed split-thickness skin grafts were treated with recruited minced skin grafting. Five patients were used as controls, in whom donor sites were treated with the traditional method. Part of the split-thickness skin was minced using two surgical blades (number 24) to an approximate particle size of less than 0.5 mm. Minced skin was spread and transplanted onto the donor site and covered with polyurethane foam. Twelve months after the operation, donor sites were scored for hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, redness, and disruption of skin texture. Gross appearance was evaluated according to total score. RESULTS: Donor sites treated with recruited minced skin grafts had significantly better appearance than those of controls. Donor sites that had more than 5% of the total area treated tended to have better results. CONCLUSION: Recruited minced skin grafting is a good method of improving the appearance of the donor site.