[Defect coverage in the surgical therapy of advanced skin tumors]

In the operative treatment of skin cancer large excisions are often necessary. The malignant melanoma must be excised primary with the 3--5 cm safety margin depending on the localisation. Therefore a primary wound closure is not possible, and the wound must be closed in a second step with skin grafts or regional flaps. Temporary grafting of the large excision-wound with a synthetic skin substitute (Epigard) is useful to observe recurrences and to bring the wound in a good condition for grafting. In the years 1979/1980 74 malignant melanomas and 157 basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas were treated in this manner.