Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
heterograft
Pronunciation: HET-er-oh-graft
Temporary skin graft from another species, typically porcine, used in burn wound coverage.
Full Definition
A heterograft, also called a xenograft, is skin tissue transplanted from a different species to provide temporary wound coverage in burn patients. Porcine (pig) skin is most commonly used due to its similarity to human skin. Heterografts serve as biological dressings, reducing fluid loss and infection risk while awaiting autograft availability. They are eventually rejected by the immune system and must be replaced with autografts for permanent coverage.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from allograft (same species) and autograft (same individual).
In Context
- "Porcine heterografts provided temporary coverage until sufficient donor sites were available for autografting." — surgical case report
- "The heterograft showed signs of rejection on postoperative day 7 and was replaced with autograft." — wound care documentation
Also known as
xenograft
porcine graft
Contrasted with
autograft
allograft
Don't confuse with
allograft
homograft