Mobilisation versus Bed Rest after Skin Grafting Pretibial Lacerations: A Meta-Analysis

Pretibial lacerations are problematic and best managed by surgical debridement, then skin grafting. Traditional postoperative care involves bed rest to optimise graft survival. This meta-analysis assesses early mobilisation versus bed rest for skin graft healing of these wounds. Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Cinahl, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Analyses were performed on appropriate clinical trials. Four trials met with the inclusion criteria. No difference was demonstrated in split skin graft healing between patients mobilised early compared to patients admitted to hospital for postoperative bed rest at either 7 (OR 0.86 CI 0.29–2.56) or 14 days (OR 0.74 CI 0.31–1.79). There was a statistically significant delay in healing in patients treated with systemic corticosteroids (OR 8.20 CI 0.99–15.41). There was no difference in postoperative haematoma, bleeding, graft infection, or donor site healing between the comparison groups. In the available literature, there is no difference between early mobilisation and bed rest for the healing of skin grafts to pretibial wounds. Corticosteroids exert a negative effect on skin graft healing unlike early mobilisation, which does not cause increased haematoma, bleeding, infection, or delayed donor site healing. Modality of anaesthesia does not affect skin graft healing.