Use of full-thickness mesh grafts and full-thickness meek micrografts in five horses with ear skin defects caused by trauma or neoplasm resection.
Authors: Resetic Nina, Comino Francesco, Wilmink Jacintha, Gorvy Dylan A
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Full-Thickness Grafting for Equine Ear Wounds Managing substantial ear skin defects in horses—whether from trauma, degloving injuries, or tumour removal—presents a genuine surgical challenge given the pinna's exposed location and functional importance. Resetic and colleagues describe their approach using full-thickness mesh grafts and Meek micrografts in five horses, harvesting donor skin from the pectoral region under general anaesthesia, then either meshing the sheet graft mechanically to increase coverage area or cutting it into smaller micrografts before fixation with cyanoacrylate or staples and immobilisation with a thermoplastic splint. All five cases achieved complete graft acceptance within two weeks, with good-to-excellent cosmetic outcomes and preserved pinna function, whether the defects were fresh or granulating and regardless of whether the cause was trauma or neoplasm resection. For practitioners managing significant ear wounds, these techniques offer a reliable alternative to secondary intention healing or reconstructive flaps, particularly valuable because meshing the donor graft extends coverage capacity without compromising take rates. The consistent success across different wound types and aetiologies suggests this approach warrants consideration in your surgical repertoire when conventional wound management proves inadequate.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Full-thickness meshed grafts and Meek micrografts are viable options for equine ear wounds from trauma or tumor removal, with excellent healing outcomes achievable within 2 weeks
- •Graft immobilization using thermoplastic splinting combined with bandaging is critical for success in the mobile ear environment
- •Both meshing techniques and micrograft approaches can be applied effectively, offering flexibility depending on wound size and location
Key Findings
- •Full-thickness meshed sheet grafts achieved complete graft acceptance in 2 horses with degloving wounds and 2 horses with post-neoplasm excision defects
- •Full-thickness Meek micrografts achieved complete acceptance in 1 horse with granulating degloving wound
- •Complete graft acceptance achieved in all 5 cases within 2 weeks post-grafting
- •All cases demonstrated good to excellent cosmetic appearance with retained pinna function