Free skin micrografts with cyanoacrylate as outpatient treatment for venous leg ulcers

The present study describes an ambulatory, free skin micrograft technique with cyanoacrylate as a coadjuvant venous leg ulcer (VLU) healing strategy and its outcomes after one month.

This prospective study involved Comprehensive Classification System for Chronic Venous Disorders (CEAP) stage C6 patients with good granulation tissue and negative culture results, consecutively recruited in January 2017 in the Hospital Clinico San Carlos. A skin micrograft was harvested from the anterior surface of the patient's thigh with a 0.4cm punch (0.12cm²). The graft was adhered to the ulcer bed with cyanoacrylate. Anti-adherent dressing and double-layer bandaging was applied, with weekly replacements. Measurements were obtained of the surface of the VLU and graft progression (in cm²) using a photographic grid.

A total of 12 VLUs in 12 patients were included, with a mean treated surface of 20.32±13.9cm². A total of 18 grafts were placed and all were found to be viable after one week. Average graft growth was not noticeable after one week but was found to be 0.25±0.08cm² after week two, 0.41±0.98cm² after week three, and 0.70±0.15cm² after week four (p<0.001). There were no complications in the donor zone.

The findings of this study show that free skin micrografting with cyanoacrylate as outpatient treatment for VLUs was simple, rapid and without complication in this study, and may contribute to its wider application in clinical use.