Purpose

To expand the neighbouring skin to an area to be removed so that surplus skin is available to enable wound closure upon the removal. Common instances of application are replacement of scarred skin or bald scalp.

Details

Tissue expansion is a staged procedure. An inflatable device is placed beneath the skin in the neighbourhood of the area to be treated. Regular saline injections via an injection port leading from the device are delivered at intervals to progressively expand the overlying skin. The whole course of expansion often takes about 2 to 3 months. Over-expansion and a period of waiting are often employed to ensure an adequate size of expanded skin. When expansion is judged sufficient, surgery for removal of the scarred skin or bald scalp is undertaken, the expander is removed, and the surplus skin or scalp is mobilised into the defect to achieve wound closure.

Result

Scarred skin is replaced with better quality skin and bald scalp with hair-bearing scalp.

Caution

The procedure courses over several months during which the patient carries around the bulging expander under the skin. It is possible for complications such as infection or implant failure to set in during the treatment so that premature expander removal becomes necessary. There will still be scars related to the incisions made.