[Meek technique skin graft for treating exceptionally large area burns]

To investigate the clinical effect of Meek technique skin graft in treating exceptionally large area burns.

The clinical data were retrospectively analysed from 10 cases of exceptionally large area burns treated with Meek technique skin graft from April 2009 to February 2010 (Meek group), and were compared with those from 10 cases of exceptionally large area burns treated with the particle skin with large sheet of skin allograft transplantation from January 2002 to December 2006 (particle skin group). In Meek group, there were 8 males and 2 females with an average age of 34.5 years (range, 5-55 years), including 6 cases of flame burns, 2 cases of hot liquid burns, 1 case of electrical burn, and 1 case of high-temperature dust burn. The burn area was 82.6% +/- 3.1% of total body surface area (TBSA). The most were deep II degree to III degree burns. The time from burn to hospitalization was (3.5 +/- 1.3) hours. In particle skin group, there were 8 males and 2 females with an average age of 36.8 years (range, 18-62 years), including 5 cases of flame burns, 2 cases of hot liquid burns, and 3 cases of gunpowder explosion injury. The burn area was 84.1% +/- 7.4% of TBSA. The most were deep II degree to III degree burns. The time from burn to hospitalization was (4.9 +/- 2.2) hours. There was no significant difference in general data between 2 groups (P > 0.05).

The skin graft survival rate, the time of skin fusion, the systemic wound healing time, and the treatment cost of 1% of burn area were 91.23% +/- 5.61%, (11.14 +/- 2.12) days, (38.89 +/- 10.36) days, and (5113.28 +/- 552.44) yuan in Meek group, respectively; and were 78.65% +/- 12.29%, (18.37 +/- 4.63) days, (48.73 +/- 16.92) days, and (7386.36 +/- 867.64) yuan in particle skin group; showing significant differences between 2 groups (P < 0.05).

Meek technique skin graft has good effect in treating exceptionally large area burns with the advantages of high survival rate of skin graft, short time of skin fusion, and low treatment cost of 1% of burn area.