Abstract: Same day/next day discharge of burn patients treated with skin grafts.

Authors:

Juang D, McCormick JT, Slater H, Goldfarb IW, Caushaj PF.

Institution:

Department of Surgery, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Clinical Campus, Temple University School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Source:

Burns. 2005 Sep;31(6):703-6.

Abstract:

In the past, many patients were admitted for a minimum of 72 h for split-thickness skin grafting (STSG). Several factors have caused us to discharge burn patients on the same day or within 24 h following STSG. We have reviewed outcomes of such patients to determine whether early discharge has an adverse effect on graft outcome and to determine patient acceptance of this new procedure. We retrospectively reviewed charts of patients consecutively treated at our hospital. Two hundred patients were identified. All patients were found to have successful grafts. From our results, we can conclude that patient discharge in less than 24 h following STSG does not predispose patients to poor graft take or other adverse outcomes.

Keywords:

Plastic Surgery Split Skin Graft