STSG

Medical abbreviation · Surgical

STSG stands for Split-thickness skin graft, a surgical abbreviation.

Skin graft containing the epidermis and part of the dermis, harvested with a dermatome, usually from the thigh, and applied to burns, large wounds or areas left after excision. Grafts are often meshed to cover a larger area and let fluid drain.

Example: STSG meshed 1:1.5 to the left leg wound; donor site right thigh.

Usage notes

The donor site heals on its own in roughly two weeks because remaining skin appendages regenerate the epidermis. Split grafts contract more than full-thickness grafts and look less natural. Negative-pressure dressings are often used to hold grafts in place.

Related abbreviations

More surgical abbreviations

• POD – Postoperative day
• Post-op – Postoperative
• Pre-op – Preoperative
• PRK – Photorefractive keratectomy
• RCR – Rotator cuff repair
• SLNB – Sentinel lymph node biopsy
• T&A – Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
• TAPP – Transabdominal preperitoneal (hernia repair)
• TEP – Totally extraperitoneal (hernia repair)
• TME – Total mesorectal excision
• TRAM – Transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (flap)
• UPPP – Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

See all 51 surgical abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.