Introduction: Split thickness skin grafts are frequently employed to provide biological cover for extensive wounds. The take of the skin graft is traditionally estimated by observation and recorded as a percentage. The intent of this study was to ascertain the reliability of the observation method in comparison with the Image J digital programme. Materials and Methods: The study was a longitudinal study conducted on the wards of the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre (NRPSBC) at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) on patients who were admitted during the period of the study with wounds who received split skin grafts. Image J®, an image analysis program, was employed in the calculation of the take of the grafts. These were compared to values obtained by estimation by observation. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the estimation of graft take, made by observation and using Image J® digital programme. Conclusion: The estimation of graft take by observation is an acceptable practice.
References
[1]
Andreassi, A., Bilenchi, R., Biagioli, M. and D’Aniello, C. (2005) Classification and Pathophysiology of Skin Grafts. Clinics in Dermatology, 23, 332-337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2004.07.024
[2]
Ratner, D. (1998) Skin Grafting: From Here to There. Dermatologic Clinics, 16, 75-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0733-8635(05)70488-5
Mutalik, S. and Ginzburg, A. (2000) Surgical Management of Stable Vitiligo: A Review with Personal Experience. Dermatologic Surgery, 26, 248-254. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2000.09182.x
[6]
Schneider, C.A., Rasband, W.S. and Eliceiri, K.W. (2012) NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 Years of Image Analysis. Nature Methods, 9, 671-675. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2089
[7]
Abramoff, M., Magalhaes, P. and Ram, S. (2004) Image Processing with ImageJ. Biophotonics International, 11, 36-42.
[8]
Collins, T.J. (2007) ImageJ for Microscopy. Biotechniques, 43, 25-30. https://doi.org/10.2144/000112517
[9]
Girish, V. and Vijayalakshmi, A. (2004) Affordable Image Analysis Using NIH Image/ImageJ. Indian Journal of Cancer, 41, 47.
[10]
https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/docs/menus/analyze.html
[11]
Zekri, A. and King, W. (1995) Success of Skin Grafting on a Contaminated Recipient Surface. European Journal of Plastic Surgery, 18, 40-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183697
[12]
McGregor, A. and McGregor, I. (2000) Free Skin Grafts. In: Fundamental Techniques of Plastic Surgery, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 35-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-06372-5.50007-3
[13]
Browse, N.L., Gray, L., Jarrett, P.E. and Morland, M. (1977) Blood and Vein-Wall Fibrinolytic Activity in Health and Vascular Disease. British Medical Journal, 1, 478-481. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6059.478
[14]
Thornton, J. and Gosman, A. (2004) Selected Readings in Plastic Surgery. Vol. 10, Selected Readings in Plastic Surgery, Inc., Dallas.