Tissue expansion as an aesthetic alternative for facial resurfacing: a single centre series of 92 patients

Background: The visibility, vulnerability and social stigmata of facial scars whether by burn, nevi or trauma can be compelling for the patient as well as challenging for the surgeon. Restoration to normal form and aesthetics require tissue replacement which has good colour and texture match and produce minimal visible scarring.  Although many other options are available for a given defect, tissue expansion offers the best alternative which meets almost all the criteria of an ideal procedure.Methods: Among 92 patients with deformities over various facial subunits were operated and expanders 50 ml to 300 ml inserted subcutaneously adjacent to the scar. Prior planning, accurate measurement and choice of ideal expander is extremely important. A precise and practical method of calculation for determination of amount and duration of expander was used. Any secondary deformity to adjoining vital structures was avoided.Results: Results were meticulously and critically analyzed. Different shapes, dimensions and volume of expanders were used depending on the anatomical site which was to be expanded. A total of 118 expanders were inserted in 92 patients. The average volume of tissue expanders used was 170.33 ml. Majority of the expanders used had volume of 200 ml (62.71%). Post-expansion volume was 240.67 ml and the over expansion done was 41.3% over the pre-expansion volume of 170.33 ml. Surgical outcome and cosmesis was assessed by the patient’s perspective and was considered fair by 57.61% patients.Conclusions: The study underlines the clinical application, reasons for overexpansion as well as shortcomings and complications of tissue expansion.

Análisis de los criterios médico legales para la valoración del perjuicio estético en el rostro en la clínica médico forense: estudio de casos penales en el año 2011 / Analysis of legal medical criteria for the assessment of disfigurement on the face in forensic medical clinic: study of criminal cases in 2011

El presente trabajo busca responder a la necesidad de contar con un estudio actualizado sobre valoración del perjuicio estético en el rostro en el campo de la medicina legal en Costa Rica. Para este estudio se utilizó una población de 239 casos valorados por secuelas de lesiones en el rostro extraídos de los expedientes de la Sección de Clínica Médico Forense del Departamento de Medicina Legal en el año 2011. Se utilizaron variables sociodemográficas y variables utilizadas en la caracterización y valoración del perjuicio estético en el rostro. dentro de los resultados más relevantes del estudio se evidenció un predominio de casos del sexo masculino y en el grupo de edad de los 20 a 29 años, las lesiones encontradas, en la mayoría de los casos, fueron producidas con un objeto contundente. El tipo de perjuicio estético más encontrado fueron las cicatrices, en más de la mitad de los casos no se indicó si las cicatrices producían alteración de la armonía facial o si eran retráctiles y en una tercera parte tampoco se mencionaba si producían alteración de la mímica facial. La mayoría de las cicatrices se describieron como hipocrómicas y planas. En cuanto a la visibilidad más de la tercera parte de los casos presentaban lesiones descritas como visibles a distancia de conversación y un 20% se describieron como visibles a distancia social. Solamente la quinta parte de los casos valorados, se catalogaron como con marca indeleble. En cerca de un 70% de los casos no se estableció porcentaje de incapacidad permanente. El presente estudio refleja la importancia de la valoración del perjuicio estético en la actualidad así como la necesidad de contar con criterios estandarizados para realizar este tipo de valoraciones así como para determinar la presencia de marca indeleble en el rostro.

The present study aims to answer the need to have an up to date study related to facial aesthetic damage assessment in the field of legal medicine in Costa Rica. For this study it was used a population of 239 cases evaluated for facial injury sequels extracted from the files of the Clinical Forensic Medicine Section of the Legal Medicine Department in Costa Rica during the year 2011. Variables used include socio demographic and others used in characterization and evaluation of facial aesthetic damage. Among the most relevant results of this study it was evidenced a predominance of masculine cases and in the group of 20 to 29 years, the injuries, in the majority of cases, were produced by a blunt object. The most frequent type of aesthetic damage encountered were the scars, in more than half of the cases it was not indicated if the scars produced alteration of the facial harmony or if they were retractable and in a third of cases it was not mention if there was facial mimic alteration. The majority of the scars were described as hipocromic and flat. In regard to visibility, in more than a third of the cases the alterations were described as visible in conversation distance and 20% as visible in social distance. Only a fifth part of the cases were cataloged as indelible mark. In nearly a 70% of the cases no percentage of permanent impairment were established The present study reflects the importance of the evaluation of the aesthetic damage nowadays and also the need to have standardized criteria to perform this kind of assessment and to determine the presence of facial indelible mark.

Clinical efficacy of expanded neck and mastoid region flaps in the treatment of large facial scars / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To report the effect of expanded neck and mastoid region flap in the reparation of facial scars.Methods Total 8 patients were included from January 2007 to May 2011.Tissue expanders were implanted in the neck and mastoid region after we selected suitable expander on the basis of an area of facial scars.Three to six months later,the expanded neck and mastoid region flap was used to repair large area of facial scars.Results From January 2007 to May 2011,we used expanded neck and mastoid region flap to resurface the facial scars in 8 patients.One patient appeared small size of necrosis (0.3 cm× 2.0 cm to 0.5 cm× 2.0 cm) in the distal area and healed after dressing changes.All the other patients healed completely.The period of follow-up was 6 months to 2 years.The flaps matched well to the surrounding skin in terms of color and good texture.Conclusions The method of combined expander neck and mastoid region skin flaps to repair facial scars is suitable.We believe this is a good option of repairing large area of facial scars.