Clinical application of continuous rapid tissue expansion / 中华医学美学美容杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study a simple surgical method for continuous rapid tissue expansion and its clinical application. Methods The operation was accomplished in two-stage procedures. First, expanders were placed in the subcutaneous pocket through interlesional perpendicular short incisions. Continuous expansion by trace syringe pump began from the second day after expander placement. The speed of water injection was set according to patient's algesthesia reaction and vascularity of skin. The second operation was carried out at the third to fifth day after the expansion completed.Results The method was put into clinical practice in 22 cases (16 cases of scar, 2 cases of capillary angioma, and 4 cases of black nevus), and 35 expanders were placed. The speed of water injection was set in 0.2～0.8ml/hr/100ml.The mean time of water injection was 15.3 days. In the process of expansion, all cases were satisfactory except 1 case, in which the expander exposed in the incision. After the second operation, all flaps survived except one showing distal skin necrosis. The result was satisfactory after 3 months to 1 year follow-up. Conclusion The procedure consists of expander placement through interlesional perpendicular short incisions and continuous expansion in advance, which maximally shortens the time of expansion and hospitalization. This expansion method is a simple, safe, reliable, and ideal rapid tissue expansion technique.