ABSTRACT
Plastic surgeons are frequently faced with difficult and challenging soft tissue defects
in all areas of the body. To reconstruct these defects, there are many operative approaches
available to the reconstructive surgeon including skin grafts, local flaps, regional
flaps, and free-tissue transfer. Despite these many options, occasionally the best
alternative for reconstruction of a wound is tissue expansion, where skin of similar
quality, texture, and color can be used to close a soft tissue defect. Unfortunately,
there are significant problems related to tissue expander reconstruction including
a complication rate as high as 50%. As a result, tissue expander reconstruction has
not achieved the widespread popularity commensurate with its potential clinical utility.
To reduce the complication rate related to open tissue expander placement, and consequently
to improve its clinical utility, we have employed endoscopic techniques for the placement
of tissue expanders. Endoscopic approaches are currently being used in many areas
of surgery and have resulted in substantial benefits. Endoscopic placement of tissue
expanders has the benefit of reducing operative time, major complication rate, time
to full expansion, and length of hospital stay. The purpose of this article is to
critically examine the current open technique for tissue expander placement and to
compare this technique with minimally invasive endoscopic tissue expander placement.
We will discuss in detail the current problems associated with open tissue expander
placement, the benefits of endoscopic tissue expansion, the technique of endoscopic
tissue expander placement, and the outcomes for these techniques.
KEYWORDS
Endoscopy - endoscopic plastic surgery - tissue expansion
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Paul S CedernaM.D. F.A.C.S.
University of Michigan Health System, Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery
2130 Taubman Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0340