The effectiveness of punch grafts in promoting the healing of surgical injuries and hard-to-heal wounds

Abstract

Punch grafting is a technique that can improve and accelerate the healing of hard-to-heal wounds and reduce the associated pain. It is a simple and inexpensive procedure that can be performed in the examination room. It is a technique that uses small split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) to promote the growth of epithelial tissue. It has been described as being used mainly to treat ulcers of venous, arterial, hypertensive and diabetic aetiology. Punch grafting has also been used successfully in postoperative dermatological surgical wounds. This article describes and details the performance of the punch-graft technique, with special emphasis on aftercare and the role of nurses in the procedure. A clinical case is presented of a patient who underwent surgery for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and whose primary closure was rejected. It was decided to place the STSGs obtained from the anterior aspect of the patient's thigh after preparation of the recipient area to ensure an optimal wound bed. The patient's pain subsided within a few days, and the wound healed within weeks with weekly dressing changes.