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Skin grafting is a type of surgery that involves removing skin from an area of the body and transplanting it to a different area. The transplanted skin tissue is called a skin graft. This surgery may be done to treat burns, extensive wounding or trauma, and areas of extensive skin loss caused by infection, such as purpura fulminans and necrotizing fasciitis. Skin grafting may also be used in certain surgeries that may need skin grafts for healing to occur, such as the removal of skin cancer.
There are two basic types of skin grafts:
Skin grafting is performed under a general anaesthetic, which means you will be asleep and will not feel any pain during the procedure. In some cases, local anaesthetic may be used instead.
Your surgeon begins the surgery by removing skin from the donor site. For split-thickness grafts, the skin will be removed from an area of the body that is usually hidden by clothing, such as the outside of your thigh or the hip. For full-thickness graft, the skin is taken from the abdomen, forearm, groin, or an area above the collarbone.
After your surgeon removes the skin from the donor site, it will be placed carefully over the transplant area and secured with surgical dressing, stitches, or staples. If the transplant area is especially large, the skin from the donor site may be meshed in order to stretch it into a larger patch.
For a split-thickness graft, you may need to stay in the hospital for a few days to ensure that the graft and the donor site are healing correctly. A full-thickness graft may require one to a two-week hospital stay. After you are discharged from the hospital, plan to stay in Belgium for at least 10 to 14 for more days for scheduled follow-up checkups where your doctor changes your dressing.
The donor site generally takes anywhere from several days to a week to heal. You need to avoid doing any activities that could injure or stretch the graft site, including exercise, for at least three to four weeks. Your surgeon will give you a detailed recovery timeline and tell you when it is safe to resume your normal activities.
Your surgeon will give you an instruction, which may include how to care for the dressing and area around it, medicines to take, and restrictions. If possible, try to elevate the wound while sitting or lying down to reduce swelling. You should also avoid hitting or bumping the area. In some cases, your surgeon may recommend physical therapy.
Skin grafting is highly successful, and the reason for your surgery determines the result. However, some skin grafts do not heal well, and you may need a second graft. Skin grafting also carries some risks, including allergic reaction to the anaesthesia, problems with breathing, bleeding, infection, blood clots, infection, loss of grafted skin, chronic pain, reduced or lost skin sensation, scarring, skin discolouration, increased sensitivity, and uneven skin surface.
If you cannot or do not want to undergo skin grafting, the alternatives you can consider are:
Before skin grafting, you may have an open wound, burns, or skin loss caused by infection. After skin grafting, all of these problems are treated and your skin would look normal again.
Whilst the information presented here has been accurately sourced and verified by a medical professional for its accuracy, it is still advised to consult with your doctor before pursuing a medical treatment at one of the listed medical providers
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Belgium is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in Europe and has some of Europe’s finest cuisine, including the creamiest chocolates and a wide variation of beers. In addition, it is home to extensive beaches, postcard-worthy dunes, historic cities, and beautiful countryside, with belfries, castles, and carnivals. Belgium has enjoyed a growing reputation for being excellent medical tourism as well as the country boasts immaculate clinical standards. The medical centers in the country offer a wide range of specializes treatments, short waiting time, highly-trained medical professionals, and considerably lower medical costs. Orthopedics and heart surgery are the most sought after procedures in Belgium.
Brussels is the capital of Belgium, as well as home to European Union official seats and NATO headquarters. Here, visitors can see Europe’s grandest squares, visit the beloved statue of a little boy peeing into a basin (Manneken Pis), explore Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, and admire the magnificent Grand Palace. Bruges, a pickled Gothic city, is also worth a visit. The key attractions in the city are the 14th-century town hall, the Cathedral of the Holy Savior, and the Belfry Tower. Other popular cities include Antwerp and Ghent. While Antwerp is famous for its fashion and excellent museums, Ghent is best known for its historic quarter and stunning Van Eyck altarpiece in its colossal cathedral.
Belgium has four distinct seasons. Summer in the country is relatively short, starting in July and ending in August. The season is warm, with bearable heat and some intermittent rain. Winter comes in November and extends until March. It can get rather wet and chilly during this season, with an average temperature of around 3 - 7°C. Spring (April – June) and autumn (September – October) are generally nice and warm, with an average temperature of around 10 - 15°C.
The main international airport in Belgium is Brussels Airport. It serves flights to many major cities around the world, including Copenhagen, Doha, London, New York, Atlanta, Casablanca, and Bangkok. Since Belgium is a small country, there are no domestic flights. The public transport system in the country is extremely well-organized and reasonably priced. The best way to get around the country is by train. The trains are affordable, fast, frequent, very punctual, and have a comprehensive network of lines. Buses tend to be used in conjunction with train services, so you will likely need a train-bus combination when traveling, especially to rural areas. Inside cities, the transport systems are centered on buses, but there are also metro and trams in Brussels and Antwerp. Taxis are plentiful in all cities and ensure to hire metered official taxis, which have standard fares.
Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, so nationals of EU/EEA countries do not need a visa to visit the country regardless of their length of stay or purpose of travels. Citizens of 62 countries, including Canadian, Australian, and US nationals, can stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days. Belgium Visa for Medical reasons is available for people who need to obtain medical care in the country.