Suffering a catastrophic injury in an auto accident could disfigure a part of your body. Because of a burn or a sudden impact with a solid surface in your car, you lose some of your skin. Furthermore, the resulting wound does not heal. Doctors may suggest that you undergo skin grafts to restore the ravaged area.
Grafting skin from another part of your body or from a donor may restore your appearance and protect your body from infection. Still, skin grafts are not free of risk. The Cleveland Clinic explains possible health complications to consider before undergoing this procedure.
Your body rejects the graft
Many skin grafts successfully integrate with the surrounding tissue, but not always. Some grafts suffer an infection. Poor blood circulation can delay graft integration. You may accidentally shift the graft and injure it. Sometimes pus or blood gathers under the graft. In the end, your doctors may have no choice but to remove the graft.
Graft deformities
Grafts do not always come out as expected. They may form discolorations or look patchy. Healing problems can also cause defects. Some patients notice scar tissue in the graft area. Another possible problem occurs when a graft shrinks in size, causing it to pull on the rest of the skin.
Graft pain
Ideally, your skin graft should exhibit no problems after the surgery. However, some patients find their grafts are more sensitive to pain than the rest of their skin. Even after the graft has taken, chronic pain may persist. Conversely, some patients experience a loss of feeling on the grafted skin.
Graft complications are important to recognize because they could progress into a worse problem, like severe pain, a fever, pus, or bleeding. If your doctors recommend a skin graft following a car wreck, learn about your possible risks and factor them into your treatment.