Résumé
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical effect of external tissue expansion in the repair of massive skin and soft tissue defects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From August 1998 to January 2004, 10 patients with massive skin and soft tissue defects ( the area ranging from 10 cm x 4 cm to 24 cm x 15 cm) , including 7 with wounds in the leg, 2 with wounds in knee region, and 1 with wounds in the forearm, were enrolled in the study. All patients were subjected to external tissue expansion together with external skeletal fixation for 2 -3 weeks, then the wounds were closed with suturing or supplemented with skin flaps.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The defects were closed completely after external expansion in 4 cases, and in other 5 cases the wounds were significantly decreased in area, and the residual wounds were covered with free skin grafting. In I case the wound could only be reduced in size, and the residual wound was closed with a local flap. Follow-up from 1 to 12 months showed that the wounds were closed with normal cutaneous sensation and good appearance.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>External skin expansion is a simple, economical method for repair of massive skin soft-tissue defect, which can significantly be reduced or entirely closed.</p>