The Role of Collagen Dressing in Enhancing Healing and Preventing Complications at Donor Sites following Split-Thickness Skin Graft Harvesting

Abstract

Background: In reconstructive and plastic surgery, split-thickness skin graft (STSG) treatments are frequently used to treat a variety of skin abnormalities. However, managing donor sites is difficult because of issues including infection and delayed recovery. Although collagen-based dressings have showed potential in the field of wound healing, STSG donor sites have not been the subject of in-depth research. Methods: 100 patients getting STSG participated in this prospective randomized controlled trial, which was run between December 2020 and June 2022. The collagen dressing group (n = 50) and the standard saline dressing group (n = 50) were randomly assigned to the patients. Secondary outcomes were patient-reported outcomes and cosmetic evaluation, whereas primary results included healing rate and complication incidence. Results: Complete wound closure was achieved by 85% of patients in the collagen dressing group by postoperative day 30, compared to 62% in the regular saline dressing group. This represents a significant improvement in healing rates. When compared to the standard saline dressing group (18%), complications were lower in the collagen dressing group (6%). Patients who received collagen dressings reported less discomfort and greater satisfaction with their wound treatment. The collagen dressing group had better aesthetic results, according to cosmetic evaluation (80% rated "excellent"). Conclusion: At STSG donor sites, collagen dressings dramatically improve healing, lower complications, and enhance patient experiences. The use of collagen dressings in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery is supported by these data, which also point to prospective advantages. For these results to be validated and optimized, more study is required.