Since 1987, One hundred and fifty-four patients suffered from alopecia, neck and facial scar, and nasal defect had been treated with skin soft tissue expansion. The incidence of complication was decreased markedly, compared to previons report which was 11.7%. Two cases of this group were given up this procedure. The lessous learned from these case were as following. Strictly evaluated the case according to the indication, examined the expander carefully, improved the techniques to inbed the expander and infilled the sailine, those of which could obtain satisfactory result.
Objective To investigate the clinical application of skin soft-tissue expansion in repairing large-cicatricial alopecia. Methods From January 1989 to December 2003, 38 cases of large cicatricial alopecia were repaired by expanding scalp. The scalp was expanded, the cicatrix area was resected and the mode of propulsive or rotary flap was adopted. The size of alopecia ranged from 15 cm×7 cm to 23 cm×15 cm. Results The cicatricial alopecia in all the 38 cases was repaired and the hair growth was excellent during 1.2 year follow-up. Conclusion The soft tissue expansion technique is the initiative choice and an efficient method for repairing large cicatricial alopecia.
Our clinical experiences in reconstruction of the defects from excision of benign tumors with expanded skin flap were reported. Since 1987 we have applied this method 23 cases with satisfactory results. When we decided to use this technique, the expander was placed in a pocket adjacent to a benign tumor planned to be excised. Once the skin flap was expanded fully, the tissue expanders were removed. After excision of the benign tumor, the defect was than be covered with the expanded skin flap. The problems related to treatment were discussed in detail.
Abstract In order to investigate the pattern of the changes of blood supply of the vascular superthin skin flap during expansion, in 17 patients, under the subdermal vessel networks layer of the periauriclar area, an expander was placed, and the skin was preliminarily expanded. The changes of blood supply were found regular: When the injected fluid volume was excessive, the skin became pale or cyanotic, the skin showed congestive telangiectasis. If great care was given during the procedure, the expanded skin could pass safely through the stage of poor blood circulation. The expanded superthin skin flap were applied in auriculoplasty in 17 patients. The results included 3 failures, and 14 satisfactory.
Objective To evaluate a new reconstruction method for grades Ⅴ and Ⅵ defect with flap by skin soft tissue expansion technique. Methods From May 1998to September 2003, 8 cases of serious thumb defect were treated, including 6 males and 2 females, aging 18-27 years. The defect was caused by crush injury ofmachine in 6 cases and hot crush injury in 2 cases( 5 cases of grade Ⅴ and 3 cases of grade Ⅵ). The expander was placed under the tenor skin and softtissue.And then normal saline was infused to expand the skin and soft tissue graduallytill it was available for thumb reconstruction. Iliac autograft was fixed to residual thumb stump and covered with flap produce by expanded skin and soft-tissue.Postoperative rehabilitation was carried out. Results Allreconstructed thumbs were alive. After3-24 months follow-up, all reconstructed thumbs were with good sensation, appearance and durable. Twopoint discrimination was less than 5 mm. The functions of opposition, extend, abduction and endoduction were better in grade Ⅴ thumb defect than in grade Ⅵ thumb defect. Bone union was achieved within 3 to 4 months. Conclusion It is a convenient-to-operate and reliablemethod for thumb reconstruction. It is an alternative new reconstruction methodfor grades Ⅴ and Ⅵ thumb defect.
Objective To explore the feasibility of applying poroushigh density polyethylene (Medpor) as framework for auricle reconstruction of congenital oracquired auricular defects. Methods From February 1999 to February 2004, 61 patients suffering from congenital or acquired auricular defects underwent auricle reconstruction with Medpor framework after expanding postauricular skin. Among them, there were 38 males and 23 females, aging from 5 to 61 years. In 40 cases of congenital microtia, two sides were involved in 1 case and one side in 39 cases. In21 cases of traumatic auricle damage, two sides were involved in 6 cases and one side in 15 cases. The operation was performed by two stages. First stage:the expander was implanted underneath postauricular skin or soft tissuesuch as notrophic scar tissue for the traumatic auricle defect. Second stage:the expander was removed and auricle reconstruction was performed by placing Medpor framework between the expanded skin/scar flap and the underlying fascial flap. Results Sixty-one patients obtained successfully reconstructed auricles. During a followup of 6 months to 5 years and 1 month (mean 2.8 years), the results were excellent and good in 49 cases (80.3%) , fair in 7 cases (11.5%) and poor in 3 cases (4.9%)，2 cases (3.3%) underwent replacement of Medpor framework with autogenous costal cartilage after 6 months of operation. Conclusion Medpor framework would be applied safely, simply and reliably in condition that auricular framework is unfit or reluctant to undergo auricle reconstruction by using autogenous costal cartilage.
OBJECTIVE In order to reduce the complication of the transposition of superficial cervical artery skin flap for the repair of neck defect, the method of pre-expanded skin flap was designed, and its clinical result was observed. METHODS From March 1995 to October 1997, 12 cases with cicatricial contracture of the neck were treated by the following methods, preexpanded superficial cervical artery skin flap, and then transposed it for the reconstruction the cervical scar after burns. There were 8 males and 4 females and the age ranged from 6 to 32 years. A maximal size of flap was 35 cm x 14 cm and a minimal size was 16 cm x 7 cm. RESULTS All the flaps were survived except one, which partial necrosis occurred in the tip. Postoperative follow-up for 6 months to 3 years showed that the physiological angle of cervico-mandibular angle was recovered and the appearance of flap was satisfactory without swelling and contracture. CONCLUSION The preexpanded superficial cervical artery skin flap has many advantages, and it is particularly suitable for reconstruction of severe cervical contracture after extensive burns.