Full-thickness skin grafting of postsurgical oral defects: Short- and long-term outcomes

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated the use of full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) following excision of precancerous and cancerous oral lesions. Materials and Methods: Fourteen oral lesions, including five leukoplaskias, one carcinoma in situ, two verrucous carcinomas, and six squamous cell carcinomas with varying grade of keratinization and invasion were skin grafted after excision. The size of the graft ranged from 16 × 22 mm to 40 × 50 mm, and the fixation period was 8 to 13 days. The grafts were evaluated for necrosis as a short-term result and shrinkage and recurrence of the lesion as long-term results. Results: Three cases with more than moderate necrosis of the grafted skin were observed (21.4%). Shrinkage was observed in 23% of the 14 skin grafts and tumor recurrence was observed in three FTSGs (2 patients). Conclusions: The results suggest that the paucity of the blood supply in the grafted bed, and the uneven pressure and immobilization of the grafted skin, influence the success of the procedure, and that proper case selection is necessary.