Effect of Nano Fat Graft on the Healing of Donor Site of Split Thickness Skin Graft

Background: Split-thickness grafts (STSGs) harvestingis a common technique to reconstruct absent skin and to reestablishthe skin barrier in burn and skin defects. Donor sitemorbidity is not uncommon. Various materials and dressingshad been used to improve healing of donor site. Fat graftingor its components had been used in promotion of healing inchronic and irradiated wounds indicating the possibility ofimproving healing.Objective: To evaluate the effect of adding nano fat graftsto donor sites of STSGs.Patients and Methods: Twenty (20) adult patients wereincluded in this comparative self-controlled clinical trial fromMarch 2020 to April 2021. These patients had raw areas ofskin needing STSG. STSG thickness was 0.12.5 inch leavingan area measuring 7x15cm (105cm2) at the donor site. Thedonor site area in the lower limb was used as a test area whereit was divided into two equal areas, one area was covered bynano fat graft and Vaseline gauze (group A), the other actingas a control group was covered by Vaseline gauze only (group < br />B). Group A was compared to group B as regard healing timefrom 10th day onward and quality of healing after one monthusing Vancouver scale (VSS). Tissue biopsy was taken at day21 from both groups. Any Donor site complications werenoted.Results: Comparing The rate of donor site healing ingroup A with group B, group A showed faster healing with amean of (13.30±2.61) versus (16.05±2.43) days from the dateof harvesting of STSG. Histologically the mean thickness ofneo epithelium in group A was more than that of group B witha mean value of 255.04±15.27mm and 161.15±28.75mm consecutively.Group A showed better vascularity and pliabilitywhile no difference was detected as regard pigmentation andheight. Infection occurred in donor site of one patient.Conclusions: Using topical nano fat graft and Vaselinegauze on the donor site of STSG improves healing time aswell as vascularity and pliability in comparison to Vaselinegauze alone.