Dermatome Device: A Small Surgical Instrument Utilized To Make Small Thin Slices of Skin Out of a Donor Area

The dermatome device is a small surgical instrument utilized to make small thin slices of skin out of a donor area, so as to use them to create skin grafts from it. The device is categorized as Class II under the U.S. FDA. One of its important uses is for reconstructing skin areas severely damaged by third-degree burns or other trauma. Dermatome can be operated mechanically or manually. Both the mechanical and manual procedures are effective. A special adhesive material applied to the drum determines the thickness, width, and length of skin to be cut by the blade.

There are several different types of dermatomes. Knife dermatomes, which are handheld instruments, require a high degree of technical skill and may not produce consistent results. Drum dermatomes, electric, and air-powered dermatomes are more commonly used than manually powered instruments. The mechanical method uses a plastic syringe filled with collagen, epoxy, and other materials. A small head is held over the end of the dermatome device and the needle is inserted into the scalp. By using a controlled pressure, the thin slice is guided through the scalp under the skin to the bone where it is prepared for placement onto the patient's skin. A small head is then used to separate the fat and epidermis from the tissue to be transferred to the recipient area. This procedure is called dermal recontouring and has excellent results on small burns.

A single nerve can be cut and used for biopsy or collagen administration into the affected area. After the entire scalp region has been treated, the single nerve is removed and evaluated for potential use in grafting. For this treatment, a dermatome or mini-dermatome instrument is used. It consists of a thin hollow needle resembling a hypodermic needle. A thin piece of tissue is pierced inside the single nerve using the needle.

The skin grafting procedure has another more complex form that is called the burn unit. This process also consists of a small hollow needle containing a collagen-rejuvenating solution. However, this unit is smaller than the dermatome device. When the patient has severe burns, he/she must use a unit of a larger size than the dermatome.