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Factors Affecting Split Thickness Skin Graft Success Rates in Patients Who Underwent a Radial Forearm or Fibula Free Flap

NCT04648267 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 75

Last updated 2026-02-10

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Fibula free flaps (FFF) and radial forearm free flaps (RFFF) are necessary to reconstruct parts of the face after cancer surgery, traumas, or debilitating infections. Oftentimes, after we take the flap from the arm or leg, there is a large skin defect that must be filled. A split thickness skin graft (STSG) usually from the thigh can be used to fill this defect. Split thickness skin grafts get their blood supply from the underlying tissue, Hence, pressure must be applied to the skin grafts to ensure that they "stick" to the underlying tissue and are properly perfused. A bolster and cast is placed onto the skin graft to apply pressure and to immobilize the skin graft to optimize healing. However, skin grafts still often do not take well. Thus, the objective of this study is to see if the duration of the cast and bolster over the skin graft has an effect on how well it integrates into the wound bed.

The study will compare 2 groups: the standard of care 5-7 day cast group versus the experiment 10-14 day cast group. The hypothesis is that people with longer cast and bolster duration will have better healing rates. Surveys will also be administered to see if cast and bolster duration will affect quality of life and self-esteem.

Conditions

  • Skin Graft Complications

Interventions

OTHER

Cast and bolster placement duration

The intervention is increasing the duration of cast and bolster placement on split thickness skin graft sites.

OTHER

Standard of care

This will be standard of care - the patient will have his cast and bolster on for 5-7 days

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Southern California

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-01-05
Primary Completion
2025-11-30
Completion
2025-11-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04648267 on ClinicalTrials.gov