END-RESULT IN THIERSCH GRAFT

Abstract

Since skin grafting, a heritage from antiquity, 1 was placed on a firm scientific basis by Reverdin 2 and later by Thiersch 3 and by Ollier, 4 numerous observations have been made on the phenomena involved in its successful conclusion. Davis and Traut 5 have recently summarized and continued the work begun by Garre, 6 in which the processes of vascularization and innervation of the transplanted tissue have been quite definitely determined. Most of these studies were performed on laboratory animals after varying periods of time, up to two years, had elapsed since grafting. The purpose of this article is not to deal with the physiologic changes involved in transplantation, but to discuss the end-result obtained. This, to be ideal, must closely approach the normal uninjured skin in appearance and function. An opportunity for such a study was presented by a patient who had been operated on thirty years previously