Skin Grafting Recipient Site Preparation in the Limbs With a Bloodless Technique

Skin graft recipient site preparation before graft application leads to significant loss of blood in large surface area wounds, necessitating allogenic blood transfusions, with their attendant risks. In 2021, the World Health Organization highlighted the urgent need for implementation of 3 pillars of patient blood management in order to reduce or eliminate transfusion dependency and improve patient safety and outcomes. This study aimed to show the use of the limb exsanguination-tourniquet technique in eliminating the use of allogenic blood transfusion in the preparation of the skin graft recipient site in the limbs of 13 patients. A prospective case series was conducted. The use of the simple and readily available exsanguination-tourniquet technique has proven very effective in significant reduction of blood loss in the preparation of the skin graft recipient site in the limbs, with elimination of allogenic transfusion. This resulted in achievement of the goal of the second pillar of the patient blood management policy guideline of the World Health Organization. Blood loss during recipient site preparation in skin grafting can be markedly reduced, hence eliminating the need for allogenic blood transfusion. This practice should be incorporated as standard of care for providing wound cover for large surface limb wounds and ulcers.