[Tissue expansion in the reconstruction of post-burn lesions in childhood]

Tissue expansion has gained increased acceptance in postburn reconstruction. In this study, the clinical outcome in 17 paediatric burn patients is outlined. A total of 46 tissue expanders were inserted for the reconstruction of postburn scalp alopecia (n = 11) and burn scars (n = 6). The average size of soft tissue defect was 124 cm2. Mean followup was 19 months. The overall outcome in most cases was excellent, however, complications were common (37%) and included infection, exposure, port loss, and partial flap necrosis. Five patients in the scalp reconstruction group required transfusion (45%). Tissue expansion in paediatric burn reconstruction is a useful technique which may yield superb results, however, careful surgical planning is essential to avoid complications.