Dermal Overgrafting of the Leg

¹ Department of Surgery (Plastic), University of California School of Medicine, Los Angeles

The advantages of the overgraft technique are:

1. Preservation of any areolar cushioning tissue beneath old scar, while additional layers of elastic dermis are added. Layer upon layer can be added at subsequent operations to reinforce areas of scar, ulcerations, or adjacent poor skin.

2. Simplicity of the method obviates the necessity of deep dissection. A good take of graft is usually obtained.

3. Nothing is lost if the graft should fail, for a large area has not been excised. The grafts tend to withstand time. If ulceration recurs after an overgraft is done, it is usually small and additional overgrafts may be added as required with a minimum operative procedure.

Hynes recently reported the satisfactory treatment of a variety of scar conditions by shaving and skin graft, essentially the same technique as herein described. He emphasized the simplicity of the method and mentioned no adverse complications.

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