Contraction and growth of wounds covered by meshed and non-meshed split thickness skin grafts.

Full thickness wounds, one on either side of the backs of rabbits, were covered with meshed or non-meshed split thickness skin grafts. The wounds were measured over a 3 month period and the minimum and maximum sizes of the wounds determined as well as the rate of growth. Wounds covered with meshed grafts contracted to 55% of the original size while those covered with non-meshed grafts contracted to 81.5% (p = less than 0.0001). The meshed wounds grew to 114.6% of original area and non-meshed grew to 153.3% (p = 0.035) after 13 weeks.