Surgery for malignant melanoma: from which limb should the graft be taken?

A study of 186 melanomas requiring skin grafts and followed for 1-13 years has shown no preferential implantation in an ipsilateral donor site, despite standard surgical teaching that skin grafts for melanoma defects should not be taken from the same limb as the primary tumour. Two cases were encountered of preferential metastasis to a distant donor site outside the lymphatic drainage of the melanoma and we present a further case where ipsilateral recurrence simulated donor site recurrence. It is clear that the major mechanism of spread to distant donor sites is by the haematogenous route to an area of acute trauma. Hence it is recommended that where possible donor skin is taken from the same limb as the tumour, so that any preferential metastasis will remain within an area amenable to regional limb perfusion.