Keywords

extracellular matrix, skin graft, traumatic wound tissue, wound healing

 

Authors

  1. Klapper, Andrew Mark MD
  2. Moradian, Scott DO
  3. Pack, Philip DO

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Superficial soft tissue injury, such as a skin tear, is common. For such wounds, the authors introduce a novel technique that allows the physician to salvage otherwise discarded tissue as a traumatic graft to highly accelerate wound healing.

 

METHODS: A series of 11 patients with superficial soft tissue trauma in which debrided tissues are salvaged back into the wound by means of minced expansion grafting (MEG) are followed from presentation through healing.

 

RESULTS: Salvaged tissue replaced back into wounds as MEG grafts greatly accelerated epithelialization and wound closure.

 

CONCLUSIONS: Based on their experience with MEG, the authors introduce a new principle for the wound surgeon that no tissue should ever be discarded, but rather salvaged and placed back into the wound.