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Oncology
Resolution of a chronic occipital wound with exposed skull bone with a fish skin graft: a successful treatment approach
  1. Alexander B Veitinger1,
  2. Burkard M Lippert1 and
  3. Lukas S Fiedler2
  1. 1Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Plastic Surgery, SLK-Kliniken Heilbronn GmbH, Heilbronn, Germany
  2. 2Heidelberg University Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
  1. Correspondence to Dr Lukas S Fiedler; l.fiedler{at}gmx.at

Abstract

Chronic skin defects in the head, face and neck pose challenges for closure, especially after multiple surgeries or radiation therapy. We report the case of a woman in her 70s with a chronic occipital wound following squamous cell carcinoma resections, resulting in exposed skull bone. Despite various options, we successfully treated the 4 cm x 5 cm wound with a Kerecis fish skin graft (FSG), observing significant improvement within a week. The FSG promoted granulation tissue formation, enabling subsequent full-thickness skin grafting from the patient’s groin. Complete wound closure was achieved within 2 weeks, indicating FSG’s efficacy in complex wound management. Our experience highlights FSG’s potential as a valuable tool in wound healing and reconstruction, particularly in challenging cases involving the head and neck.

  • Dermatology
  • Ear, nose and throat
  • Skin
  • Skin cancer
  • Plastic and reconstructive surgery

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2024-261172

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors The following authors were responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation of results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms and critical revision for important intellectual content: ABV contributed to writing, selection of pictures, editing, corrections and selection of publications; BML contributed to selection of publications and critical revision; and LSF contributed to idea, writing, corrections and selection of publications. The following author gave final approval of the manuscript: LSF.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.