To compare the postoperative effects of full-thickness inguinal skin graft and medium-thickness thigh skin graft in children, and to explore more optimal donor site selection for repairing skin defects in children.

From August 2019 to January 2021, 50 children with skin defects who needed free skin grafting were selected as the research objects. Among them, 26 cases received inguinal skin donors (inguinal group) and 24 cases received thigh medium thickness skin donors (control group). The healing time, pain, itching and scar of the donor area, pigmentation, softness, contracture and marginal scar of the recipient area were observed and compared between the two groups. Data were compared by t-test, chi-square test and rank sum test.

There were no significant differences in gender, age, cause of injury and skin graft area between the two groups (P>0.05). The survival rate of full-thickness inguinal skin grafts and medium-thickness thigh skin grafts had no significant differences (84.0%±6.9% vs 88.0%±7.7%, P>0.05). The healing time of donor site [(7.80±1.67)d] in inguinal group was significantly shorter than that of the control group [(11.67±1.95)d], and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The pain and pruritus score of the donor site in inguinal group after operation (0.73±0.53, 0.62±0.57) were significantly lower than those of the control group (1.42±0.65, 1.78±0.46), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The scar score of donor site (0.57±0.58) in inguinal group was significantly lower than that of the control group (1.58±0.50), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The pigmentation, skin softness and contracture of the recipient area (1.04±0.54, 0.39±0.50, 0.36±0.49) in inguinal group were better than those of the control group (1.48±0.66, 0.70±0.56, 0.71±0.55), and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in marginal scar between the two groups (1.04±0.72 vs 1.00±0.60, P>0.05).

For the repair of skin defects in children, full-thickness inguinal skin graft, which is safe and effective can effectively shorten the postoperative healing time of the donor site, reduce postoperative adverse reactions, and has good aesthetic effect in both the donor site and the recipient site.