dermatome

(dûr'mə-tōm')
n.

1. Anatomy. An area of skin innervated by sensory fibers from a single spinal nerve.
2. Medicine. An instrument used in cutting thin slices of the skin, as for skin grafts.
3. Embryology. The part of a mesodermal somite from which the dermis develops.

[DERMA- + -TOME.]

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An area of skin innervated by the branches of a single spinal nerve. Dermatomes are represented as distinct areas on a dermatome map, but in reality their distribution is much more complex as there is considerable overlap between dermatomes (about 50%). See also transcutaneous nerve stimulation.

1. an instrument for cutting thin skin slices for grafting.
2. the area of skin supplied with afferent nerve fibers by a single dorsal spinal root.
3. the lateral part of an embryonic somite.

• Brown d. — an electric or pneumatic instrument used for cutting split-thickness skin grafts.

n

An instrument for cutting thin slices or layers of skin for grafting or for sequentially removing small lesions.

For a list of words related to dermatome, see:

• Tools and Equipment - dermatome: surgical instrument that cuts thin slices of skin, as for grafting

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