The Preputium: An Overlooked Skin Graft Donor Site

Abstract

Plastic surgeons often encounter tissue defects consisting of the superficial layer of the skin. Fortunately, many of these defects are reconstructed easily with skin grafts. The authors have used the preputium as a skin graft for the reconstruction of skin defects of various sizes and locations in children. The defect size ranged from 2.3 x 4.0 cm to 4.8 x 6.5 cm. The average defect size was 3.5 x 5.5 cm. The defects were caused from trauma, acute burn, and release of burn contractures, and were located in the lower extremity, upper extremity, and scalp. All patients were treated successfully. No complications of the donor area or recipient area were seen. The prepuce should be included as an additional tool in the reconstructive surgeons armamentarium because of its many advantages, including easy harvest, high viability and elasticity, and low donor area morbidity.