Dictionary

If a wound is so big that it will not heal by itself, it can be covered with skin taken from another part of the body. A skin transplant is often necessary after a major burn. If the piece of skin is not large enough to fully cover the wound, a meshed skin graft can help. The skin flap is enlarged by running it through a machine that cuts fine slits into it so it stretches further. This net-like transplant can triple the space that a skin graft can cover.