[Forum on tissue expansion. Expansion of the upper limb]

The authors report their experience of skin expansion of the upper limb based on a series of 42 operated patients: shoulder (8 cases), arm (19 cases), forearm (5 cases) and hand (8 cases). The operative protocol must be rigorous in terms of the choice of prosthesis (shape and size) and the type of valve (internal or external) and in terms of the technique of insertion of the expansion prosthesis (short incision in healthy skin) and harvesting of the expanded flap (sliding-draping flap rather than rotation flap). The indications are varied: unsightly scars and sequelae of burns, congenital naevi, syndactyly, resurfacing and preparation for a secondary surgical procedure (implant of a prosthesis, neurolysis, tenolysis). There were few complications with only 2 major complications resulting in failure of this technique.