Prospective study comparing serial debulking strategy and traditional method for graft donor site management: impact on length of hospital stay

Ekpo RG; Asuquo ME; Duke R

doi:10.61386/imj.v19i3.1186

Authors

Ekpo RG Division of Burns, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Surgery Department, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
Asuquo ME Oncology and Colorectal Unit, General Surgery, Surgery Department, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar
Duke R Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61386/imj.v19i3.1186

Keywords:

Skin graft, serial debulking, donor sites, length of hospital stay, quality of life

Abstract

Skin graft donor site morbidity can be devastating and often time leads to prolonged duration of length of hospital stay. The use of serial debulking strategy in the management of skin graft donor site wounds was found to be associated with decrease burden of donor site morbidities and shorter duration of length of hospital stay.

The study was a prospective Quasi -experimental research. The participants were assigned into two groups based on non-randomised criteria.

Results: sixty-seven patients participated in the study. Twenty-seven (27) were managed with the traditional approach and the remaining forty (40) were managed using the serial debulking approach. The mean duration of re-epithelization of the donor site wounds were 32.7± 5.6 days for the s traditional approach and 19.6±2.6 days for the serial debulking strategy.
The mean length of hospitalization ±SD (days) were 58.1±3.7 for traditional approach and 34.8 ±2.8 for the serial debulking strategy and both methods were equally statistically significant.

Conclusion: The innovative serial debulking strategy for the management of skin graft donor site wound have been found to be associated with less donor site morbidities, faster and satisfactory re-epithelization of donor site wound and a significant shorter duration of length of hospital stay.

Therefore, we advocate the use of serial debulking strategy in the management of skin graft site wounds while calling for further research to compare serial debulking strategy and use of advance dressing materials for management of skin graft donor site wounds.