The time between graft extraction and placement — ischemia time — is a technical detail that directly affects graft survival and is often overlooked by patients.

Why Storage Solution Matters

Chilled intracellular-type solutions — such as HypoThermosol — preserve graft cell membrane integrity, providing higher survival rates over hours or even days compared to ordinary saline (extracellular-type) solutions.

Temperature Control

Grafts should be kept cold, typically in the 2-8°C range, just above freezing. A 2023 international expert consensus statement published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment (via Delphi method) recommends chilled intracellular-type holding solutions when a procedure exceeds 6-8 hours.

Why It Matters to Patients

In very high graft-count procedures (5,000+), the first grafts extracted may wait hours before placement. Clinics without a quality storage protocol may face higher graft-loss risk, particularly on long procedures.

A question worth asking at consultation: "What solution and temperature are grafts stored in during the procedure?" If you can't get a clear, informed answer, that's a reason to question the clinic's technical standards.