Always tell your doctor or nurse:

• What drugs you are taking, even drugs or herbs you bought without a prescription.
• If you have been drinking a lot of alcohol.

During the days before your surgery:

• You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
• Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
• If you smoke, try to stop.

If you have diabetes, follow your diet and take your medicines as usual.

On the day of the surgery:

• Usually you will be asked not to drink or eat anything for 8 to 12 hours before the surgery.
• Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.

Prepare your home. Plan to have the help you will need from your spouse, a friend, or a neighbor.

Make sure the bathroom and the rest of the house are set up safely so that you do not trip or fall. Make sure you can get in and out of your house easily.

You should recover quickly after split-thickness skin grafting, except in cases of major burns. The skin graft must be protected from trauma, such as being hit, or heavy stretching for at least 2 to 3 weeks.

Depending on the location of the graft, you may need to wear a dressing for 1 to 2 weeks. Avoid exercise that might stretch or injure the graft for 3 to 4 weeks. Some people need physical therapy after their skin graft.

Full-thickness grafts need a longer recovery period. Most people with these grafts need to stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 weeks.

New blood vessels begin growing within 36 hours. Most skin grafts are successful, but some do not heal well. You may need a second graft.

Images

Skin layers

Skin graft

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Review Date: 01/25/2011
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)