TISSUE EXPANSION

Objective: To share the experience of tissue expansion. Study Design: Descriptive. Duration: June 2005 to May 2009. Setting: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Rawalpindi. Inclusion Criteria: Patients of all ages and sex undergoing tissue expansion. Exclusion Criteria: Patients having acute injuries, burns and defects which were closed primarily. Patients undergoing primarily flap surgery. Materials and Methods: The shape and size of the tissue expander was chosen according to the deformity and expected wound geometry. All the surgerieswere performed under general anaesthesia. Drains were removed after 48 – 72 hours. Slightly filled (20 – 50ml) tissue expanders were used. Tissue expansion was started after 7 – 12 days and were filled twice weekly. Results: Total 19 patients (12 males & 7 females) were included in the study. The mean age in males was 32.9 years (range 13 – 44 years) and 21.1 years (range 19 – 36 years) in females. The differentdeformities included contractures 31.6%, Postburn scar 21.1%, hypertrophic scar 15.8% followed by congenital naevus 10.5%. The fill volume ranged from a 140 ml to 480 ml over a period of 8–13 weeks. No major complication was noted. Slight loss of distal flap occurred in 2 patients. No infection/rupture of tissue expander was seen. Conclusion: Tissue expansion is a safe technique for reconstruction of defects, with an obvious advantage of the availability of the adjacent skin.