Full-thickness skin grafting to cover equine wounds caused by laceration or tumor resection.
Abstract: To describe and evaluate full-thickness skin grafting of equine wounds. Methods: Case series. Methods: Adult horses (n=6). Methods: A full-thickness graft was harvested from the pectoral region with the horse anesthetized or standing and sedated after local anesthetic infiltration. Grafts were attached to the cutaneous margin of the wound with staples and/or sutures if the horse was anesthetized or if the recipient site was desensitized. Cyanoacrylate glue was used to attach the grafts to the cutaneous margin of the wound of 3 horses. Medical records were reviewed for history, physical examination findings, grafting technique, postoperative complications, and outcome. Results: Three horses had full-thickness skin grafting to cover a fresh defect created by excision of a cutaneous neoplasm, and 3 horses had full-thickness skin grafting to cover a fresh or granulating laceration. Grafts were completely accepted in 5 horses. The superficial layers of all grafts sloughed, but the final cosmetic appearance of accepted grafts was good. Conclusions: Full-thickness skin grafting can be performed in standing sedated horses with good cosmesis, especially when the meshed graft is expanded minimally. Conclusions: Good acceptance of a full-thickness graft can be expected, regardless of whether the graft is applied to a fresh or granulating wound.
Publication Date: 2010-05-06 PubMed ID: 20459503DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2010.00691.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This article explores the effectiveness of full-thickness skin grafting for equine wounds, resulting from lacerations or tumor resections. The study records high acceptance rates of grafts and suggests that the procedure can be executed successfully in standing sedated horses with pleasant cosmetic results.
Methods
- The study is carried out on adult horses (n=6).
- A full-thickness graft is harvested from the horse’s pectoral region. The horse is either anesthetized or sedated after local anesthetic is infiltrated.
- The grafts are then attached to the cutaneous margin of the wound. This is done through staples and/or sutures if the horse is anesthetized, or if the recipient site is desensitized.
- In 3 of the horses, cyanoacrylate glue (a strong adhesive previously used for medical and veterinary purposes) is used to attach the grafts to the cutaneous margin of the wound.
- The medical records of the horses subjected to this treatment are thoroughly reviewed for history, physical examination findings, grafting technique, any postoperative complications, and final outcome.
Results
- Three horses undergo full-thickness skin grafting to cover a fresh defect created by the excision of a cutaneous neoplasm (skin tumor).
- The other 3 horses undergo full-thickness skin grafting to cover a fresh or granulating (healing) laceration.
- Of the six horses, grafts are completely accepted by five.
- Despite the superficial layers of all grafts sloughing off, or shedding, the final cosmetic appearance of the accepted grafts is deemed good.
Conclusions
- The researchers conclude that full-thickness skin grafting can be effectively performed on standing sedated horses, yielding good cosmetic results, particularly if the meshed graft is minimally expanded.
- Irrespective of whether the graft is applied to a fresh or a healing wound, good acceptance of a full-thickness graft can be expected.
Cite This Article
APA
Tóth F, Schumacher J, Castro F, Perkins J.
(2010).
Full-thickness skin grafting to cover equine wounds caused by laceration or tumor resection.
Vet Surg, 39(6), 708-714.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.2010.00691.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA. ftoth@utk.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Granulation Tissue
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Skin Transplantation / veterinary
- Transplantation, Autologous
- Treatment Outcome
- Wound Healing / physiology
- Wounds and Injuries / surgery
- Wounds and Injuries / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Resetic N, Comino F, Wilmink J, Gorvy DA. Use of full-thickness mesh grafts and full-thickness meek micrografts in five horses with ear skin defects caused by trauma or neoplasm resection. Vet Surg 2026 Feb;55(2):363-370.
- Williams ZJ, Pezzanite LM, Hendrickson DA. Review of skin grafting in equine wounds: indications and techniques. Equine Vet Educ 2024 Sep;36(9):484-493.
- Stone NL, Murphy AJ, England TJ, O'Sullivan SE. A systematic review of minor phytocannabinoids with promising neuroprotective potential. Br J Pharmacol 2020 Oct;177(19):4330-4352.
- Spaas JH, Broeckx S, Van de Walle GR, Polettini M. The effects of equine peripheral blood stem cells on cutaneous wound healing: a clinical evaluation in four horses. Clin Exp Dermatol 2013 Apr;38(3):280-4.
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