Widely expanded postage stamp skin grafts using a modified Meek technique in combination with an allograft overlay

Abstract

A method for obtaining widely expanded postage stamp autografts, first described in 1963 by C.P. Meek, has been evaluated in our burns unit. The technique, in which an expansion ratio of 1:9 is achieved with the aid of special prefolded gauzes, was combined with an overlay of glycerol-preserved allografts applied 1 week after grafting. This delay did not appear to affect graft take. In a series of 16 consecutive skin graft procedures performed on 10 patients with extensive burns, the mean epithelialization rate was 90 per cent (range 70-100 per cent) within 5 weeks. Cosmetic results were comparable to those achieved with widely expanded mesh grafts. The Meek technique utilizes small pieces of autograft, and has proved to be a practical alternative to mesh grafts when donor sites are limited.