For the patients who have extensive skin defects the applicable donor skin is not sufficient for the extent of recipient wound defect, and it has been a serious problem for surgeons, on which many scholars have been researching in recent sears. To settle the problem at first an elementary and simple operation Mesh graft technique has developed, which was initiated by Tanner and Vandeput in 1954. The indication for this technique is applied to unclosable piton;dal wounds, rh.onic ulcers, defect from radical breast surgery, defects from nonviable skin flaps after radical - neck surgery, and meningocele defect with spinal.fluid leakage, as well as burns.
The merits are:
1. It can cover extensive recipient site with less donor site.
2. Improved drainage.
3. By controlling the skin expansion, it can be applied to the skin defect around irregular borders and, having much flexibility, it can conform to concave and convex surface.
4. It prevents accumulation of serum or exudate between graft and underlying bed.
5. The edge exposure is increased.
~. Rapid recovery.
7. The loss of grafted skin is decreased.
S. It can be operated with chronic stasis ulcer in situation. 9. The resistence against wound inflammations is increased.
The demerits are:
1. The operating time takes long.
2. Because of the extensive -distribution of skin, it results in a conspicuous scar of superficial skin.
3. It is exposed to external wounds.
4. Mesh pattern remains long.
The authors, having operated Mesh skin graft using the Mueller skin expander to eight patients of third degree burn, obtained a good record of the observed results as is reported_ in this_paper.
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