Amnion overlay meshed skin autograft.

Meshed skin autografts are conventionally dressed with fine petrolatum gauzes. Pain and haemorrhage are a frequent sequel to changing dressings in the early days after grafting. We have explored the use of amnion to overlay the meshed autograft (3:1) in addition to the fine petrolatum gauze. Eleven patients with 24 burn wounds were treated. The amnion provided good protection to the underlying meshed autograft and the neoepithelium. It did not block the re-epithelialization and may have promoted the healing process. Most of the grafts had healed completely by 7 days after application. Pain and haemorrhage were markedly reduced. The non-antigenic nature, adherent quality and inexpensive cost makes amnion a promising biological dressing for meshed autografts.