Fig. 2. Photograph demonstrating full-thickness island punch grafts of equine skin being obtained from the area of the neck normally concealed by the mane. A 7-mm skin biopsy punch is used to obtain the donor grafts. Photo courtesy of Dr. John Peroni.
sutured, staples, or left to heal by second intention. When a sheet of skin is removed from the cranial pectoral region en bloc, the incision should be su-
dressinga and pressure bandage. The author leaves the initial bandage in place for 4 to 5 days to allow for undisturbed adherence and revascu- larization during the plasmatic imbibition, inoscu- lation, and neovascularization phases. If the site is over a highly mobile area such as a joint, a cast or cast bandage should be utilized for 2 to 3 weeks to immobilize the area and optimize graft adher- ence. The cast can be bi-valved to allow access to the wound for bandage changes (Fig. 5). The donor sites can either be closed with a single
Fig. 4. Photograph demonstrating punch donor grafts inserted into the wound recipient bed. Photo courtesy of Dr. John Peroni.
tured closed with an appositional or sometimes a tension-relieving pattern.
Fig. 3. Photograph demonstrating a full-thickness sheet of equine skin obtained from the cranial pectoral region. The sheet is stretched and pinned on a polypropylene board and a 7-mm skin biopsy punch is used to obtain punch donor grafts from the sheet. Photo courtesy of Dr. John Peroni.
