A classification of the island grafts.

The techniques for the use of island grafts in the closure of surgical wounds after the excision of cutaneous malignancies are quite simple and yield good cosmetic results. At present, the main configurations of island grafts are described with a diverse and confusing terminology. This article presents a logical classification of the island grafts based upon the shape of the primary defect, the shape of the partial closure, and whether the graft or grafts are distant or contiguous. By use of this classification, it is possible to develop a simplified approach to wound closure for almost all cutaneous surgical defects.