[The donor site pain assessment of the patients who were reconstructed split-thickness graft].

OBJECTIVES: In this study we examined the donor site pain intensity of the patients who were reconstructed by split thickness skin graft (STSG) due to tissue defect.

METHODS: This descriptive study was performed in a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic of a State Hospital in Istanbul. Sampling selection wasn't made, all (31) cases were studied with STSG in 2013. As data collection forms, we used Patient Information Form and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). In the analysis of the data percentage, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney-U tests were used.

RESULTS: 38.71% of the patients were female and 61.29% were male. It was determined that grafting application was mostly made in the lower extremity and 61% of the patients were able to perform individual functions independently. It was observed that pain intensity increased as the donor area expanded. It was also determined that semi-dependent patients' pain intensity was higher than independent patients'. In 64.52% of the patients graft donor area was wider than 10cm². The postoperative pain intensity of the patients who were reconstructed by STSG in the lower extremity was higher than patients who were reconstructed by STSG in the upper extremity area.

CONCLUSION: It was observed that the donor area pain intensity of patients was the most severe on the first day after surgery and the least severe on the sixth day after surgery. In conclusion, the pain evaluation of the donor area has to be assessed by the nurse on the first day after surgery.