[Tissue expanders in plastic surgery of the head and neck. Indications and use]

Tissue expansion allows a functional as well as an aesthetic reconstruction of local defects and thus corresponds to the actual state of the art in plastic surgery.-Tissue expansion provides tissue of the same quality for the repair of defects without leaving deformities on the donor site. It creates local flaps with skin of the same texture, colour and preserved sensitivity.-The use of tissue expanders has grown enormously during the last few years.-A higher rate of complications on the cheek and on the neck must be taken into account.