Review of skin grafting in equine wounds: indications and techniques.
Authors: Williams Zoë J, Pezzanite Lynn M, Hendrickson Dean A
Journal: Equine veterinary education
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Skin Grafting in Equine Wounds Skin grafting represents an underutilised surgical option for equine practitioners managing extensive skin defects that would otherwise heal with significant cosmetic compromise or functional impairment. This comprehensive review by Williams, Pezzanite and Hendrickson examines graft classification systems, technical approaches, donor site selection criteria, and recipient bed preparation protocols to provide practitioners with evidence-based guidance on achieving successful outcomes. Success hinges on two critical factors: meticulous wound bed conditioning using moist dressing regimens prior to grafting, and rigorous immobilisation postoperatively to prevent graft failure through shearing forces. When properly executed in infection-free wounds with healthy granulation tissue, skin grafting not only covers defects but actively suppresses exuberant granulation formation whilst promoting wound contraction and epithelialisation—delivering substantially superior cosmetic results compared to secondary intention healing. For farriers and veterinarians frequently encountering large traumatic wounds or iatrogenic defects, understanding graft classification, donor-recipient site matching, and postoperative management strategies offers a practical means to significantly improve both functional and aesthetic outcomes in equine practice.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Use moist wound dressing to prepare granulation tissue before attempting skin grafting to improve graft take rates
- •Prioritise strict wound immobilisation in the first postoperative period as this is critical for graft retention and healing success
- •Consider skin grafting as a tool for large skin defects where standard wound management alone will result in poor cosmetic or functional outcomes
Key Findings
- •Skin grafting improves cosmetic outcomes in wounds with large skin defects that would not heal functionally with standard therapy
- •Success depends on appropriate wound bed preparation with moist wound healing dressing and effective immobilisation of the graft postoperatively
- •Optimal graft placement requires infection-free wounds with healthy granulation tissue and reduced motion in early postoperative period
- •Successful grafting covers granulation tissue, encourages wound contraction and epithelialisation, and reduces exuberant granulation tissue formation