The temporary use of allograft for complicated wounds in plastic surgery.

A retrospective analysis was performed on the use of glycerol-preserved allografts (GPA) in the preparation of complicated wounds for secondary wound closure. All files from the plastic surgery department in the period 1992-1998 were screened. Thirty-three patients within a total 85 GPA treatments were selected and screened for indication of use of GPA, frequency of GPA changes, duration of treatment and whether or not subsequent autografting was possible. GPA was used as a biological cover for the following indications: problematic wound healing, 13 cases; non-healing burns, 12 cases; carcinoma, 4 cases; unstable scar, 2 cases; shortage of skin, 2 cases. The average frequency of GPA application was 2.6 times, with a mean duration of 5 days per application. In 84 cases (32 patients) the wound was successfully covered with autograft. In conclusion, GPA was used with good results as a temporary cover for complicated wounds. We postulate that angiogenic effects of this biological dressing may have contributed to the improved healing conditions and successful secondary wound closure.