Pinch Grafting Versus Second Intention Wound Healing for Mohs Micrographic Surgery Defects on the Scalp

NCT06287866 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2099470
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Oftentimes, following surgery on the scalp, wounds are left to heal by themselves. This is called "second intention." Open wounds left to heal on the scalp often take 8 weeks or more to completely heal. The investigators are investigating how second intention closure compares to another established reconstruction technique, called "pinch graft." In the pinch graft technique, a dermatological surgeon numbs and then shaves off a thin piece of skin (usually from the groin area) and places it in the wound bed it (also known as "grafting"), to encourage growth of new healthy skin. This study will compare time-to-healing in the second intention method versus the pinch graft method.

Conditions

Scarring

Keywords

Pinch graft

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Time to re-epithelialization

  Participants will submit weekly photos to blinded reviewers to assess for re-epithelization.

  1-8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Observer Scar Assessment as measured by Patient Observer Scar Assessment Score (POSAS)

  3 months

• Patient Scar Assessment as measured by Patient Observer Scar Assessment Score (POSAS)

  3 months

Study Arms (2)

Second Intention Wound Healing

NO INTERVENTION

Pinch Grafting

EXPERIMENTAL

Procedure: Pinch Graft

Interventions

Pinch Graft PROCEDURE

In the pinch graft technique, the investigators will numb and then shave off a thin piece of skin and place it in the wound bed.

Pinch Grafting

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age or older
• Able to give informed consent themselves
• Patient scheduled for cutaneous surgical procedure on the scalp with predicted second intention closure
• Willing to return for follow up visit
• Active user of MyChart
• Willing to send weekly messages until wound is healed

You may not qualify if:

• Incarceration
• Under 18 years of age
• Pregnant women
• Unable to understand written and oral English
• Scalp wounds with planned primary repair reconstruction
• Surgical defects with bone exposure
• No MyChart access or use

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, Davis: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of California, Davis - Dermatology Department

Sacramento, California, 95816, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (6)

• Burns DA, Sarkany I. Management of stasis ulcers by pinch graft. Br J Dermatol. 1976 Jul;95 Suppl 14:82. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1976.tb07931.x. No abstract available.

  PMID: 776204 BACKGROUND

• Millard LG, Roberts MM, Gatecliffe M. Chronic leg ulcers treated by the pinch graft method. Br J Dermatol. 1977 Sep;97(3):289-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1977.tb15185.x.

  PMID: 336073 BACKGROUND

• Ramanujam CL, Zgonis T. Pinch graft harvesting technique for surgical closure of the diabetic foot. Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 2012 Oct;29(4):585-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2012.07.004. Epub 2012 Aug 30.

  PMID: 23044064 BACKGROUND

• Claude O, Binder JP, Bustamante K, Blanchet-Bardon C, Andrivon F, Revol M, Servant JM. [Role of cutaneous pinch grafts in the healing of patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa wounds: report of four cases]. Ann Chir Plast Esthet. 2005 Jun;50(3):189-96. doi: 10.1016/j.anplas.2004.11.010. Epub 2004 Dec 18. French.

  PMID: 15963838 BACKGROUND

• Willenbrink TJ, Brodland DG. Pinch Grafts Versus Second Intention Wound Healing for Mohs Micrographic Surgery Defects Below the Knee: A Prospective Randomized Trial. Dermatol Surg. 2024 Nov 1;50(11):1010-1016. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004272. Epub 2024 Aug 1.

  PMID: 39088685 BACKGROUND

• Joo J, Custis T, Armstrong AW, King TH, Omlin K, Kappel ST, Eisen DB. Purse-string suture vs second intention healing: results of a randomized, blind clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2015 Mar;151(3):265-70. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.2313.

  PMID: 25372450 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cicatrix

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fibrosis; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Daniel Eisen, MD

  University of California, Davis - Dermatology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

John Robb, BS, BA

CONTACT

9165512636; jmrobb@ucdavis.edu

Keemberly Kim, MD

CONTACT

9168161525; keekim@ucdavis.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Two blinded observers will record their scores independently using the POSAS instrument.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 23, 2024
• First Posted: March 1, 2024
• Study Start: April 2, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Locations

US (1)