In medicine, grafting is a surgical procedure to transplant tissue without a blood supply. The implanted tissue must obtain a blood supply from the new vascular bed or otherwise die.

Types of grafting

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The term is most commonly applied to skin grafting, however many tissues can be grafted: skin, bone, nerves, tendons, and cornea are the tissue commonly grafted today.

Skin grafting

Skin grafting is often used to treat skin loss due to a wound, burn, infection, or surgery. In the case of damaged skin, it is removed, and new skin is grafted in its place. Skin grafting can reduce the course of treatment and hospitalization needed, and can also improve function and appearance.

Bone grafting

Bone grafting is used in dental implants, as well as other instances. The bone may be autologous, typically harvested from the iliac crest of the pelvis, or banked bone.

Surgery | Transplantation medicine | Implants