Introduction
Désirée Ratner and Priya Mahindra Nayyar Grafts
Key features
Free skin grafts are pieces of skin that have been severed from their local blood supply and transferred to another location
Grafts for soft tissue reconstruction can be divided into four types:
full-thickness skin grafts, split-thickness skin grafts, composite grafts, and free cartilage grafts
In dermatologic surgery, grafts are most commonly used to repair defects created after removal of skin cancers; grafts also provide coverage and more rapid healing of leg ulcers
The clinical situation determines the type of graft to be placed
A working knowledge of the indications, techniques, donor site considerations, postoperative care, and postoperative complications of all types of skin grafting is essential for optimal soft tissue reconstruction