Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites
Background The depth of graft harvest and the residual dermis available for reepithelization primarily influence the healing of split-skin graft donor sites. When the thigh region is chosen, the authors hypothesize based on thickness measurements that the anterolateral region is the optimal donor s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Archives of Plastic Surgery |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.5999/aps.2014.41.6.673 |
| _version_ | 1798005403674476544 |
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| author | Jeffrey CY Chan John Ward Fabio Quondamatteo Peter Dockery John L Kelly |
| author_facet | Jeffrey CY Chan John Ward Fabio Quondamatteo Peter Dockery John L Kelly |
| author_sort | Jeffrey CY Chan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The depth of graft harvest and the residual dermis available for reepithelization primarily influence the healing of split-skin graft donor sites. When the thigh region is chosen, the authors hypothesize based on thickness measurements that the anterolateral region is the optimal donor site.
Methods Full-thickness skin specimens were sampled from the anteromedial, anterior, and anterolateral regions of human cadavers. Skin specimens were cut perpendicularly with a custom-made precision apparatus to avoid the overestimation of thickness measurements. The combined epidermal and dermal thicknesses (overall skin thickness) were measured using a digital calliper. The specimens were histologically stained to visualize their basement membrane, and microscopy images were captured. Since the epidermal thickness varies across the specimen, a stereological method was used to eliminate observer bias.
Results Epidermal thickness represented 2.5% to 9.9% of the overall skin thickness. There was a significant difference in epidermal thickness from one region to another (P<0.05). The anterolateral thigh region had the most consistent and highest mean epidermal thickness (60±3.2 µm). We observed that overall skin thickness increased laterally from the anteromedial region to the anterior and anterolateral regions of the thigh. The overall skin thickness measured 1,032±435 µm in the anteromedial region compared to 1,220±257 µm in the anterolateral region.
Conclusions Based on skin thickness measurements, the anterolateral thigh had the thickest epidermal and dermal layers. We suggest that the anterolateral thigh region is the optimal donor site for split-skin graft harvests from the thigh. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:38:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73ef562e26ff4a159290a97e33a46470 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-6163 2234-6171 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:38:57Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Plastic Surgery |
| spelling | doaj.art-73ef562e26ff4a159290a97e33a464702022-12-22T04:23:33ZengThieme Medical Publishers, Inc.Archives of Plastic Surgery2234-61632234-61712014-11-01410667367810.5999/aps.2014.41.6.673429Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor SitesJeffrey CY Chan0John Ward1Fabio Quondamatteo2Peter Dockery3John L Kelly4Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Anatomy, National University of Ireland, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Anatomy, National University of Ireland, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, IrelandBackground The depth of graft harvest and the residual dermis available for reepithelization primarily influence the healing of split-skin graft donor sites. When the thigh region is chosen, the authors hypothesize based on thickness measurements that the anterolateral region is the optimal donor site. Methods Full-thickness skin specimens were sampled from the anteromedial, anterior, and anterolateral regions of human cadavers. Skin specimens were cut perpendicularly with a custom-made precision apparatus to avoid the overestimation of thickness measurements. The combined epidermal and dermal thicknesses (overall skin thickness) were measured using a digital calliper. The specimens were histologically stained to visualize their basement membrane, and microscopy images were captured. Since the epidermal thickness varies across the specimen, a stereological method was used to eliminate observer bias. Results Epidermal thickness represented 2.5% to 9.9% of the overall skin thickness. There was a significant difference in epidermal thickness from one region to another (P<0.05). The anterolateral thigh region had the most consistent and highest mean epidermal thickness (60±3.2 µm). We observed that overall skin thickness increased laterally from the anteromedial region to the anterior and anterolateral regions of the thigh. The overall skin thickness measured 1,032±435 µm in the anteromedial region compared to 1,220±257 µm in the anterolateral region. Conclusions Based on skin thickness measurements, the anterolateral thigh had the thickest epidermal and dermal layers. We suggest that the anterolateral thigh region is the optimal donor site for split-skin graft harvests from the thigh.http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.5999/aps.2014.41.6.673skin surgeryskinphotomicrographycadaverhistology |
| spellingShingle | Jeffrey CY Chan John Ward Fabio Quondamatteo Peter Dockery John L Kelly Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites Archives of Plastic Surgery skin surgery skin photomicrography cadaver histology |
| title | Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites |
| title_full | Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites |
| title_fullStr | Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites |
| title_short | Skin Thickness of the Anterior, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Thigh: A Cadaveric Study for Split-Skin Graft Donor Sites |
| title_sort | skin thickness of the anterior anteromedial and anterolateral thigh a cadaveric study for split skin graft donor sites |
| topic | skin surgery skin photomicrography cadaver histology |
| url | http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.5999/aps.2014.41.6.673 |
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