Wound and Short-Term Scar Outcomes of Meek Micrografting Versus Mesh Grafting: An Intra-Patient Randomized Controlled Trial

Wound and Short-Term Scar Outcomes of Meek Micrografting Versus Mesh Grafting: An Intra-Patient Randomized Controlled Trial

Mesh grafting and Meek micrografting are split-thickness skin graft expansion techniques. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Meek and Mesh expansion ratios 1:2 and 1:3 in smaller wounds. An intra-patient randomized controlled trial was conducted at two burn centers (the Netherlands and...

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Main Authors: Danielle Rijpma, Karel Claes, Anouk Pijpe, Henk Hoeksema, Ignace De Decker, Jozef Verbelen, Matthea Stoop, Kimberly De Mey, Febe Hoste, Paul van Zuijlen, Stan Monstrey, Annebeth Meij-de Vries
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:European Burn Journal
Subjects:
burn wounds
scars
randomized controlled trial
mesh grafting
meek micrografting
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1991/6/2/26
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Summary:Mesh grafting and Meek micrografting are split-thickness skin graft expansion techniques. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Meek and Mesh expansion ratios 1:2 and 1:3 in smaller wounds. An intra-patient randomized controlled trial was conducted at two burn centers (the Netherlands and Belgium). Wound outcomes, e.g., take rate, re-epithelialization rate, and donor site size, were measured. At 3 months post-surgery, patient preference and scar quality were evaluated with the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), cutometer and dermaspectrometer. Seventy patients with a TBSA of 10 ± 10% (mean ± SD) were included. The take rate was 79 ± 25% vs. 87 ± 19% (<i>p</i> = 0.003), Meek vs. Mesh, respectively. At follow-up, a majority of observer and patient POSAS items were statistically significantly lower, corresponding with better scar quality for Mesh grafting compared to Meek micrografting. The scar elasticity was 0.37 ± 0.20 vs. 0.42 ± 0.21 (<i>p</i> = 0.013) and mean melanin 13.3 ± 8.3 vs. 12.1 ± 7.7 (<i>p</i> = 0.019) for Meek vs. Mesh, respectively, and the patient preference was 32%, 49%, and 19% for Meek, Mesh, and no preference. Other outcomes showed no statistically significant difference. In patients with smaller wounds, Mesh showed superiority on most wound and short-term scar results. Nevertheless, patient preference within the 1:3 expansion ratio group and donor site size were in favor of Meek.
ISSN:2673-1991

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