Pinch Grafting for Chronic Ulcers on Lower Extremities

Chronic ulceration of the skin of the lower extremities continues to be a difficult therapeutic problem. Pinch grafting of ulcers of the legs from a variety of causes, has proved to be highly successful. The success rate and complications of this procedure performed in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Iowa over a five-year period (1971-1975) are reviewed. The basic technique and pre-operative and post-operative care are outlined. Management of difficult cases by using such techniques as the Jobst pump, heterograft skin dressings, and sublesional steroid injection is also discussed.