Treatment of skin graft donor sites with a semipermeable polyurethane dressing.

The use of a semipermeable dressing for skin graft donor sites has been described. It permits patients with healing donor sites to ambulate, shower, and wear clothing with no pain during the healing phase. Healing is easily monitored, and signs of infection can be detected early and treated promptly, preventing involvement of the full thickness of the wound. Patients can be discharged from the hospital while the donor site is still healing. The dressing can be removed painlessly at home or in the office. The SPD appears superior to any of the more conventional dressings currently in use for treating skin graft donor sites.