dermatome, surgical instrument used for cutting thin sheets of skin, as for skin grafts. There are several different types of dermatomes. Knife dermatomes, which are handheld instruments, require a high degree of technical skill and may not produce consistent results. Drum dermatomes are cylindrical in shape and have an oscillating blade that is operated manually. A special adhesive material applied to the drum determines the thickness, width, and length of skin to be cut by the blade. Electric and air-powered dermatomes are more commonly used than manually powered instruments, since they produce rapid and consistent results.