Tissue expansion: Concepts, techniques and unfavourable results

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Dermatology

Background:

• Tissue expansion mimics natural skin growth under prolonged stress.
• This technique has been integral to reconstructive surgery for over 30 years.
• It involves surgically placing a silicone balloon under the skin and gradually inflating it with saline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the principles and techniques of tissue expansion in reconstructive surgery.
• To highlight potential complications and their management strategies.
• To present outcomes from a long-term patient series.

Main Methods:

• Review of the tissue expansion technique, including patient selection, surgical planning, and execution.
• Analysis of complications, differentiating between minor and major issues.
• Presentation of results from a 18-year study of 138 patients.

Main Results:

• Tissue expansion is a valuable reconstructive tool but demands meticulous execution.
• Complications can range from minor, allowing treatment continuation, to major, necessitating abandonment.
• The study presents a personal series of 138 patients treated between 1994 and 2012.

Conclusions:

• Successful tissue expansion relies on careful patient selection, planning, and surgical execution.
• Understanding and managing potential complications is key to achieving optimal reconstructive results.
• The technique remains a vital option in the reconstructive surgeon's armamentarium.