Follicular Graft Quality Test

Graft quality is a significant component of all hair restoration surgery, especially with the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique and conveys a large impact on the final cosmetic result of the procedure.

Grafts of high quality have supportive tissue throughout and contain minimal transections, follicle fractures, and crushed follicles.

Transection and stripped and severely splayed follicles are by-products of the punch insertion technique.

Follicle fractures and crush injury are consequences of the amount and type of force used to remove the grafts once they have been scored and dissected.

Grafts of high quality are amenable to placement without undue manipulation or placement trauma. Grafts of lesser quality caries more risk of damage during processing and implantation.

The Graft Quality Index (GQI) Protocol

We guarantee our “patients” to have the highest level of quality in their harvested hair follicles by using the (GQI) protocol performed by our science team.

What is Graft Quality Index?

It is an observational test based on standard parameters to assess the morphological quality of the hair grafts utilizing a magnification device.

How is the Hair Follicle classified in accordance to the “Graft Quality Index”?

Our science team investigates the patients grafts under magnification power to determine the following parameters:

1. Follicle Root radius

1. Root type

2. Number of roots falling on the field of investigation

3. Overall evaluation score

4. GQI score Quality score for graft types

a. 1st quality graft: The grafts have no cuts or damaged follicles, there is a smooth border, perifollicular tissue is present along the length of the follicle, and there is non-follicular tissue under the bulbs.

b. 2nd quality graft: The grafts are similar to the 1st karate but have less perifollicular tissue and no tissue under the bulbs. They also do not involve cutting and follicle damage.

c. 3’rd quality graft: Grafts have excessive iatrogenic spread, free from the lower third of follicles to rental surrounding tissue.

d. 4’th Quality graft: Contains grafts, cuts and damaged follicles, graft edges are uneven, and cut follicles may come off the graft and some follicles may peel off and spread iatrogenic.

GQI is calculated by giving a quality score to the grafts it receives. It is useful to look at a sample sequence of 10% of the number of grafts planned to be made. Graft quality types are classified as 1st Quality (1 point), 2nd Quality (2 points), 3rd Quality (3 points) and 4th Quality (4 points).

The GQI score formula is as follows:

[(1 *1st quality grafts) +(2 *2nd quality grafts) +(3 *3rd quality grafts) +(4*4th quality grafts)]

Total Number of Grafts Included in the Account Among the benefits of making these assessments

>> Problems caused by grafts during placement can be predicted

>> More accurate implant methods can be determined

>> Graft morphology and Operation outcomes can be matched and used as data