[Different skin-stretching devices for the treatment of skin and soft tissue defects]

To compare clinical effects of tension-relief system(TRS) and self-made skin-stretching devices in treating skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma.

Totally 41 patients with skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma treated by skin-stretching devices were retrospectively analyzed from June 2015 to October 2016, including 28 males and 13 females, aged from 22 to 64 years old with an average of(43.2±10.4) years old. The patients were divided into two groups according to therapeutic methods, 18 patients were treated by TRS, including 11 males and 7 females, aged from 22 to 61 years old with an average of (41.7±9.5) years old; 5 patients injured on the upper limb, 11 patients on lower limb and 2 patients on the back; the area of defect ranged from 42 to 160 cm² with an average of(78.6±17.4) cm². Twenty-three patients were treated by self-made skin stretching device, included 17 males and 6 females, aged from 25 to 64 years old with an average of (44.4±12.7) years old; 6 patients injured on the upper limb, 13 patients on lower limb and 4 patients on the back; the area of defect ranged from 54 to 175 cm² with an average of(75.2±14.3) cm². Primary closure at stage I, blood loss, operation time, healing time of wound, complications between two groups were compared, VAS score was used to evaluate pain relief, vancouver scar scale(VSS) was used to assess recover of postoperative scars.

Forty-one patients were followed up ranged from 3 to 12 months with an average of(16.2±3.7) months. There were no significant difference between two groups in blood loss and operation time(P>0.05). In TRS group, 16 patients' injury were closured directly, wound healing time of 16 patients were over 3 about weeks, VAS score was 3.9±1.1, VSS score was 3.5±1.2, and 1 patient occurred complication; In self-made skin stretch group, 12 patients' injury were closured directly, wound healing time of 9 patients were over 3 about weeks, VAS score was 4.8±1.4, VSS score was 5.3±1.6, and 9 patients occurred complication; there were no statistical differences between two groups in these items.

Compared with self-made skin stretch, TRS has advantages of good effect of wound, minimal trauma, short healing time, less pain, good outlook, and less complication.