title: [Computer-aided tissue expansion 3D profilometry and surgery planning system].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and evaluate the computer-aided system in measurement of expanded skin and preoperative planning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stereophotogrammetric technique was used to gain the 3D image-pairs, from which the contours of the expanded sites were restored. The 3D surface data were provided to the specially developed "computer-aided tissue expansion 3D profilometry and surgery planning system", to calculate the expansion area and help the preoperative design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The system has been applied clinically in 16 tissue expansion sites of 11 patients with fairly good results since March 1999. Compared with the traditional method, this system is accurate, repeatable and feasible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This technique is useful and promising for improving the operation of tissue expansion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kaihua
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Shuzhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D015626:Tissue Expansion; D015625:Tissue Expansion Devices