A surgical instrument used to cut and remove thin, uniform sections of skin, usually for skin grafts or treating burned areas.
From Greek 'derma' (skin) and '-tome' (cutting tool). This term emerged in the early 20th century when surgeons developed mechanical devices to harvest skin grafts with consistent thickness for better healing outcomes.
Modern dermatomes are engineering marvels that can harvest paper-thin sheets of skin at precise depths—this technology revolutionized burn treatment and reconstructive surgery because it allows doctors to remove damaged skin and replace it with healthy skin that actually heals properly.
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