Pneumoperitoneum-assisted harvesting of split-thickness skin grafts from the abdomen

Harvesting split-thickness skin grafts from the abdomen is difficult when using a conventional hand dermatome. In this study, pneumoperitoneum was created in 10 patients before skin grafts were taken. No complications arose from the insufflation, and the conventional dermatome was then easy to use. Pneumoperitoneum provides more abdominal surface area, allowing the surgeon to harvest a greater number of larger, more uniform grafts during a single procedure, even when working near an anatomical protuberance.