Regeneration of cold, warmth and heat-pain sensibility in human skin grafts.

Recovery of cold, warmth and heat-pain sensations in skin grafts was studied psychophysically in 22 patients who had had split skin grafts transplanted over muscle fascia 1 to 4 years earlier. A thermal stimulator based on the Peltier principle and controlled by a microprocessor was used to measure the thermal sensitivity of the grafts. Control measurements were obtained from the corresponding opposite side of the body. Cold sensitivity was present in 14 grafts (from 1-4 years old). However, with one exception, the threshold for cold sensation remained higher than normal in all patients. Warmth sensitivity was present in 6 grafts (from 1-4 years) which were all also sensitive to cold. Heat-pain sensitivity was present in 8 grafts. If the warmth and heat-pain sensibility had recovered, the sensation threshold was closer to the normal value than that for cold. In 7 grafts (from 1-3 years) no recovery was obtained.