Treatment of giant pigmented nevus using artificial dermis and a secondary skin graft from the scalp

From January 1994 to October 1995, 5 patients with congenital giant pigmented nevi were treated using artificial dermis with a secondary skin graft from the scalp. The nevus was excised in full thickness and the open wound was grafted with artificial dermis. About 3 weeks later, thin split-thickness skin grafting on the newly synthesized, dermis-like tissue was required. We chose the scalp as the donor of the secondary skin graft. Epithelialization of each donor site was completed within 1 week. In addition, the donor site was not complicated with alopecia or hypertrophic scars. Morbidity at the donor site was minimized and favorable tissue quality of the grafted skin was obtained. The clinical results revealed that the scalp was a favorable donor of a secondary skin graft for the treatment of giant pigmented nevus with artificial dermis.