Skin Substitutes and Autograft Techniques

Coverage of burn wounds is crucial to prevent sequalae including dehydration, wound infection, sepsis, shock, scarring, and contracture. To this end, numerous temporary and permanent options for coverage of burn wounds have been described. Temporary options for burn coverage include synthetic dressings, allografts, and xenografts. Permanent burn coverage can be achieved through skin substitutes, cultured epithelial autograft, ReCell, amnion, and autografting. Here, we aim to summarize the available options for burn coverage, as well as important considerations that must be made when choosing the best reconstructive option for a particular patient.