BACKGROUND: Reconstruction difficulties may arise after excision of large malignant skin neoplasms.a OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of a new coverage for surgical wounds following resection of large skin tumors: a combination of human acellular dermis with cultured autologous epithelium. METHODS: The skin substitute was implanted in four patients, one of them received two implants and the area ranged from 33 to 120 cm2. Clinical results and morphologic studies were assessed as to implant integration. RESULTS: Cultured autologous epithelium was grafted in two patients and no integration was observed. The acellular dermis was applied to four patients. Out of five acellular dermis implants, two did not present integration, two presented 70% integration and the remaining, 50% integration. CONCLUSION: The immediate and definite coverage of surgical defects by means of application of human acellular dermis combined with cultured autologous epithelium is feasible. In skin oncology, the use of skin substitutes might be convenient only in special situations to avoid more complex reconstructions.
Skin artificial; Skin neoplasms; Skin transplantation; Tissue culture techniques
