Fixation of skin grafts in the horse using stainless steel staples.

Three horses with a chronic wound on the distal part of a leg were treated successfully by grafting. Small split skin grafts were fixed onto pieces of adhesive tape. The tape pieces were spread over and fixed to the granulation surface with stainless steel staples. A tight pressure bandage including strongly compressed cellular rubber was then applied over the wound. The combination of staple fixation and strong pressure proved effective in immobilising the skin graft. It was stressed that a firm covering of granulation tissue was a prerequisite for success and therefore the technique should not be used for fresh wounds.     

Skin grafts

Skin grafting is a method to reconstruct the skin covering on areas of the body where there are defects and insufficient surrounding skin for advancement or for creation of flaps. Grafts are classified according to their host-donor relationship and by their thickness. Autogenous grafts, taken from one area of the body and applied to another area, are the type of graft used most often clinically. Pieces of skin are taken from one area of the body, prepared and applied over a defect that has also been properly prepared to accept the graft. The defect to which a graft is applied must be a healthy bed of granulation tissue or tissue that is vascular enough to produce a bed of granulation tissue. In its new location, the graft will develop a new blood supply and attachment to underlying tissues. This is accomplished as the graft undergoes the processes of fibrinous adherence, plasmatic imbibition, inoculation, and new vessel ingrowth. The types of grafts described in this chapter are split-thickness, full-thickness, seed, strip, and stamp grafts. Each of these graft types must be prepared using certain techniques, and each one has its inherent advantages and disadvantages. Split-thickness grafts may require considerable skill and/or expensive equipment to perform. Although they "take" better than full-thickness grafts, they are usually less cosmetically attractive. Full-thickness grafts require no special skill or expensive equipment, and their cosmetic appearance is better than that of split-thickness grafts, but they do not take as well as split-thickness grafts. Seed and strip grafts are easily accomplished and require no special instruments; however, their cosmetic appearance is not good. Stamp grafts have some of the properties associated with split-thickness grafts as well as those of seed and strip grafts, since they combine features of both.     

Skin flaps in reconstructive surgery

A skin flap (pedicle graft) is a partially detached segment of skin and subcutaneous tissue that includes a blood supply essential to its survival. As a result, skin flaps are capable of closing a variety of defects, including poorly vascularized wound beds that are incapable of maintaining free grafts. In many cases, skin flaps can bypass economically many of the potential problems associated with healing by second intention. This article presents an overview of pedicle grafts, with emphasis on the clinical use of local flap techniques.     

Skin grafting of the horse

Free autogenous skin grafting of the horse is indicated for wounds too large to heal by contraction and epithelization. Techniques of pinch, punch, tunnel, and sheet grafting are described. Allografting and storage of skin for delayed grafting are discussed.     

Collection of bone grafts from the tuber coxae of the horse.

Autogenous bone grafts were obtained from the tuber coxae of 9 horses. The method used involved an oblique incision to expose the lateral aspect of the tuber coxae. The periosteum was incised and reflected in order to make a 5- by 2.5-cm opening in the lateral cortex for graft retrieval. The method provided good visualization, ample grafting material, and freedom from postsurgical complications.     

Bovine diaphragmatic hernioplasty using autologous skin grafts.

A 2nd recurrence of diaphragmatic hernia in a buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), which twice previously had been subjected to herniorrhaphy, was successfully treated by hernioplasty, using a fresh autologous skin graft to compensate for the lost tissue.     

IgE and IgG antibodies in skin allergy of the horse

In horses, allergies have been characterized by clinical signs and/or intradermal (i.d.) allergen testing. Our aim was to find the first direct evidence that immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediates equine allergy. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that immediate skin reactions in horses can also be mediated by IgG. Anti-IgE affinity columns were used to purify IgE from serum of one healthy horse and three horses affected with summer eczema, an allergic dermatitis which is believed to be induced by Culicoides midges. A modified Prausnitz-Küstner experiment was performed in four clinical healthy horses by i.d. injection of the purified serum IgE antibodies. The following day, Culicoides allergen was injected at the same sites. Skin reactions were not observed in response to allergen alone, and in two horses after stimulation at any previous IgE injection site. However, the other two horses showed an immediate skin reaction at the previous injection sites of IgE obtained from allergic horses. In addition, purified monoclonal antibodies to various equine immunoglobulin isotypes were injected i.d. into six healthy horses. Immediate skin reactions were observed in response to anti-IgE (6/6 horses) and anti-IgG(T) injections (5/6 horses). The specificities of both antibodies for IgE and IgG(T), respectively, were confirmed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. The results provide the first direct evidence that IgE mediates classical Type-I allergy in horses and plays a major role in the pathogenesis of summer eczema. The data also suggest that IgG(T) can bind to skin mast cells and might contribute to clinical allergy.     

A reagin-like antibody in horse serum II. Anti-human IgE induced reversed cutaneous anaphylaxis-like responses in horse skin

Fc specific anti-human IgE serum induced prolonged reversed cutaneous anaphylaxis (RCA)-like reactions in horse skin. Morphologically and histologically, these reactions resembled passively induced late cutaneous anaphylaxis responses in human skin, but differed from reversed passive Arthus responses induced in horse skin using anti-horse IgG serum. The induction of RCA-like responses in horse skin by anti-human IgE indicates shared Fc antigenic determinants on human IgE and a horse homocytotropic or reagin-like antibody.     

Healing of segmental grafts of digital pad skin in dogs.

Pad grafts would be indicated in instances of severe paw trauma when there has been loss of the major weight-bearing pads (ie, metatarsal and metacarpal pads) as well as loss of the digital pads. A practical technique for replacing pad tissue on the remaining paw tissue could avert limb amputation for lack of weight-bearing tissue in the area. Small segmental digital pad grafts were placed in granulation tissue beds in dogs. Although the grafts were from thick pad skin, they healed well. However, intervening wound areas did not become covered with the heavier keratinized epithelium of the pads. The thinner, more rapidly growing, less keratinized epithelium from the wound edges covered most of the wound.     

马皮肤成纤维细胞的分离与体外培养

研究用小组织块直接培养法和酶消化法成功地分离了马皮肤成纤维细胞,并对其进行了体外培养,同时筛选出消化马皮肤组织块的适宜酶及酶浓度,获得了马皮肤成纤维细胞的生长曲线,并发现至少在传至第12代时有81.3%的染色体还保持正常的倍数(2n=64)。     

Skin pustules and nodules caused by Actinomyces viscosus in a horse

A 12-year-old Arabian stallion was evaluated for a refractory skin problem of 2 years' duration. Skin nodules and pustules, which would rupture, had developed over the right lumbar muscles. Anaerobic culturing from the pustules yielded Actinomyces viscosus, and histologic examination of biopsy specimens revealed globular eosinophilic structures. Concomitant treatment with isoniazid (8 mg/kg of body weight, q 24 h for 8 weeks), trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (30 mg/kg, q 24 h for 8 weeks), and sodium iodide solution (66 mg/kg, every 1, 2, or 4 weeks, for 32 weeks) resolved the condition.     

Viability of split-thickness skin grafts attached with fibrin glue.

Full-thickness, circular, cutaneous wounds (4 cm diameter) were created on metacarpi and metatarsi of 5 horses. On day 6, all 4 wounds on each horse received a stored autogenous split-thickness sheet graft. Grafts were obtained from the horse's ventrolateral thorax with a pneumatic dermatome at the time the cutaneous wounds were created. Grafts were coapted to the granulation bed of 2 wounds of each horse with fibrin glue. Grafts were coapted to the cutaneous margin of all 4 wounds of each horse with cyanoacrylate glue. Bandages were changed daily until the study ended at 14 d. When the bandages were changed, ointment containing neomycin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin was applied to all wounds. The viable area of graft was measured on post-grafting d 14 and calculated with a micro-processor. Split-thickness sheet-grafts attached to granulation beds on the metacarpi and metatarsi with fibrin glue had no greater survival than did grafts attached without fibrin glue (P > 0.05).     

Immunodiagnosis of autoimmune skin disease in the dog, cat and horse

Skin biopsies from 47 dogs, 6 cats and 5 horses with suspected autoimmune skin disease were submitted for immunofluorescence from 1978 to 1985. These cases were predominantly Western Australian in origin, although a number were also referred from Queensland and Victoria. In 5 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses immunoglobulin binding to intercellular cement substance and/or basement membrane was demonstrated by direct immunofluorescence. Antinuclear antibody was also demonstrated in several of these cases. Immunofluorescence was used in combination with histopathological examination to confirm the clinical diagnosis of autoimmune disease in 19/47 dogs, 4/6 cats and 2/5 horses. There was no age, breed or sex predisposition amongst the 19 positive dogs, however there was a higher incidence of antinuclear antibody (54%) than the normal canine population (10%) and other autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor) were sometimes present. Abnormalities in serum protein electrophoresis and serum complement C4 levels were also recorded in this group.