INTRODUCTION: the ability of our tissues to stretch and expand gradually over time has been observed and documented, both in physiological and pathological situations, throughout medical history. The technique of tissue expansion is now more than three decades old and has been a value addition to our armamentarium in reconstructive surgery in all parts of the body. The aim of our study was to report our experience with this reconstruction technique by analyzing its indications, its progress and its surgical complications.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of all cases in which tissue expansion was used for reconstruction from 2010 to 2013. Including 12 patients who underwent placement of one or more tissue expanders for reconstruction of scar cupboards of various etiologies. RESULTS: the majority of our patients were female with age extremes from 6 to 35 years. Thermal burns represent the predominant etiology sequelae repair. Skin repair effects mainly sat at the cervico-cephalic end (8 cases). The result was considered “good” in 50% of cases, fair in 33% and bad in the remaining 17%. The infection and skin necrosis are the two main complications.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: the skin expansion technique consists in the establishment of empty expanders that will be filled with saline progressively through a valve thereby allowing obtaining a skin gain; it allows treating a defect. Any compromise in this process can lead to unfavourable results and complications, some minor, which allow continuance of the process to attain the expected goal and others major, which force abandonment of the process without reaching the expected goal