TISSUE EXPANSION

IN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

Abstract

Objective: To share the experience of tissue expansion. Study Design: Descriptive. Duration: June 2005 to May 2009. Setting: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Rawalpindi. Inclusion Criteria: Patients of all ages and sex undergoing tissue expansion. Exclusion Criteria: Patients having acute injuries, burns and defects which were closed primarily. Patients undergoing primarily flap surgery. Materials and Methods: The shape and size of the tissue expander was chosen according to the deformity and expected wound geometry. All the surgeries
were performed under general anaesthesia. Drains were removed after 48 – 72 hours. Slightly filled (20 – 50ml) tissue expanders were used. Tissue expansion was started after 7 – 12 days and were filled twice weekly. Results: Total 19 patients (12 males & 7 females) were included in the study. The mean age in males was 32.9 years (range 13 – 44 years) and 21.1 years (range 19 – 36 years) in females. The different
deformities included contractures 31.6%, Postburn scar 21.1%, hypertrophic scar 15.8% followed by congenital naevus 10.5%. The fill volume ranged from a 140 ml to 480 ml over a period of 8–13 weeks. No major complication was noted. Slight loss of distal flap occurred in 2 patients. No infection/rupture of tissue expander was seen. Conclusion: Tissue expansion is a safe technique for reconstruction of defects, with an obvious advantage of the availability of the adjacent skin.