Treatment of the concrete scalp donor site

Ann Plast Surg. 1990 Feb;24(2):162-4. doi: 10.1097/00000637-199002000-00010.

Abstract

The scalp has become a popular donor site for split-thickness skin, and few complications have been reported. However, we have been troubled by 5 patients in whom the donor site did not epithelialize but rather turned into dried granulation tissue with embedded growing hairs, a situation rather like concrete with steel reinforcing rods. The pathophysiology is not clear but seems to be related to thick grafts from hair-bearing areas. We treated the lesions by removing the granulation tissue, shaving the hair, and treating the wound as a new donor site. Four lesions healed with total or near total regrowth of hair, and one required a small skin graft.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Burns / surgery*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology
  • Scalp / surgery*
  • Skin Transplantation*
  • Transplantation, Autologous