title: Use of tissue expansion in revision of unhealed below-knee amputation stumps.
abstract: When local tissue is insufficient for the revision of unhealed below-knee stumps tissue expansion offers an interesting alternative for local coverage. We used this method in seven patients (five men, two women; mean age 30 years) who had had below-knee amputations, six of them after injury to a healthy limb and one for purpura fulminans. Ten tissue expanders were inflated slowly and intermittently either weekly or twice weekly depending on the patients. The mean expansion period was 92 days. Mean hospital stay for the two operations was 5.8 (range 4-9) and 7.6 (range 6-10) days, respectively. Using subjective and objective criteria, functional outcome was excellent in five patients and good in one. Expansion failed in one because of infection. Expanded skin flaps allow good cover with a minimal scar area in appropriate cases, while preserving the skin sensitivity and length of the tibial shaft.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Plastique et Reconstructrice, Hôpital Sud, Rennes, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watier
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Georgieu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manise
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Husson
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pailheret
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections; D015626:Tissue Expansion / Q000379:methods*; D017211:Treatment Failure