Dermatotraction: A Retrospective Study on its Effectiveness in the Closure of Soft Tissue Leg Defects
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15417/issn.1852-7434.2024.89.2.1805Keywords:
Coverage defect, open wound, traction bands, viscoelasticity, integumentary closureAbstract
Introduction: Viscoelasticity is a distinctive characteristic of the human skin. A constant force pulling on the skin and subcutaneous tissue allows it to cover exposed areas in relatively short periods of time. The objective of this study is to analyze a series of cases with soft tissue leg defects where integumentary closure was accomplished with a skin stretching technique using ‘traction
bands’ in order to determine which injuries can benefit from this treatment.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive, longitudinal study carried out in the period between 2012 and 2019. The inclusion criteria for this study were: 1) wounds with a soft-tissue coverage deficit in the leg of diverse traumatic etiology (surgical wound dehiscence, fasciotomies due to compartment syndrome, open fractures, and open wounds with soft tissue deficit).
Results: 36 patients (mean age: 28 years) with injuries with loss of coverage in different regions of the leg were analyzed. Closure was achieved in 27 patients (75%), without the need for additional procedures. In three patients (8.3%), the exposed area was reduced, requiring skin grafting as a complementary procedure. Six patients required myocutaneous and fasciocutaneous soft tissue reconstructive procedures.
Conclusions: This technique is effective, simple, and economical for closing complex wounds and/or fasciotomies. Dermatotraction allows closure a few days after the trauma.
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