About Video

This video demonstrates placing challenge: bleeding. Bleeding not only impairs visibility but can also force the grafts to slide out of their sites. In addition, bleeding can wash out the local anesthesia, decreasing numbness, and increasing a patient’s sensitivity, causing the patient to fidget and the placing process to be interrupted for additional numbing. If the bleeding is occasional and it is provoked by the insertion of a graft, inserting a chunkier graft into the same site may solve the problem. When bleeding pushes the graft out of the site or obstructs the visibility of the site, the gauze should be placed right at the edge of the site with slightly firm pressure as if blotting something to diminish the bleeding and to absorb enough blood to expose the site. The assistant should start with damp gauze and if that does not work, then switch to dry gauze. If bleeding is more generalized, the physician should be informed who will then infiltrate a solution containing additional epinephrine for hemostasis.