Skin Graft

Skin graft surgery is a procedure that transplants dermal tissue.  This surgery often removes skin cells from one part of the body and replaces them in another area.  Skin graft surgery is used when the victim of an accident has a wound where the skin will not repair itself.

If you suffered an injury in an accident and you needed to have surgery to replace skin at the wound site, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim.  Injuries that are the result of another person’s negligence qualify the victim for lawsuits to compensate for their pain and suffering.

Types of Injuries That Require Skin Graft Surgery

Skin is necessary to protect the internal organs, muscle tissues, and bloodstream from infection.  When an injury occurs that prevents the body from re-growing and repairing skin cells, the wound must be covered and treated.

In these cases, the injury victim will undergo skin graft surgery.  The surgery is performed by removing skin tissue from another part of the body and transplanting it in the wound.  Sometimes only a partial thickness of skin is removed from the body, and sometimes the transplant is a full-thickness transplant.  Either type of skin grafting surgery is used to help the body heal and to improve the appearance of the area that was wounded.

There are many types of accidents that can cause serious wounds and lacerations.  One of the common types of accidents is a car accident.  In an auto accident, the victim can suffer lacerations from metal parts of the car or from other foreign objects.

If the occupant is thrown from the vehicle or was riding a motorcycle, he or she may suffer severe road rash and lacerations on their skin.  In addition to car accidents, patients also require skin graft surgery when they suffer burn injuries.

Burn injuries require the removal of dead burnt skin, which must then be replaced through skin grafting.  Lastly, victims of dog bite injuries can require extensive grafting and facial or other reconstructive surgery if the bite injury is severe.

Complications and Prognosis For Transplant Recipients

While skin grafting surgery is performed to promote healing and minimize scarring, it is not a perfect cure for an injury.  Recipients of transplanted skin require monitoring to ensure that they do not develop dangerous infections in the surgical site.

In full thickness grafts, the recipient is also at risk of rejection of the transplant, which can cause medical complications that require additional surgery.  In addition to these risks, it is important to note that patients who have their skin grafted are not completely free of scarring and other visible marks from their injuries.

Attorneys for Patients Who Require Skin Graft Surgery

If you suffered an injury in any kind of accident and you needed surgery to repair your skin, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer at Duffy & Duffy.

Our attorneys can work to make sure the defendant understands the medical treatment you received and understands that even though you had a transplant surgery, you still bear the scars of your personal injury every day.  If you were subjected to skin graft surgery after an accident, one of the attorneys at our firm can help you file a claim.