[Application of skin soft tissue expansion to reconstruction of scalp soft tissue defect].
OBJECTIVE
To explore an improved method of reconstructing the scalp soft tissue defect with the expanded skin soft tissue and treating and preventing the related complication.


METHODS
From October 2002 to June 2005, 32 patients (20 males and 12 females, aged 5-48 years) underwent reconstruction of the scalp soft tissue defects with the expanded scalp soft tissue in the two-stage operation. In the first stage, a tissue expander (cylindrical form, 50-250 ml) was implanted into the skin to achieve a skin soft tissue expansion. After a sufficient skin expansion (8 cm X 5 cm to 25 cm X 23 cm) was made by the routine water effusion for 6-16 weeks, a properly-designed skin flap was taken and transferred to reconstruct the scalp soft tissue defect in the second-stage of the operation. All the scalp defects were left after the resections of the scalp lesions, which ranged in size from 7 cm x 5 cm to 20 cm x 20 cm.


RESULTS
After operation, all the 32 patients had their scalp defects repaired and reconstructed well. The expanded skin flaps of all the 32 patients survived except 1 patient who had a necrosis of the distal epidermis of the flap, which healed after the dressings of the wound. The hair grew well and the scars were hidden with a satisfactory appearance. Four patients developed complications (necrosis of the distal flap in 1 patient, hematoma in 1, expander exposure in 1, and wound rupture in 1).


CONCLUSIONS
Reconstruction of the scalp soft tissue defect with the skin soft tissue expansion is an ideal method.
Zheng
Dawei
D
Hand Surgery Hospital, Xuzhou Jiangsu, 221002, PR China. davyzheng93006@yahoo.com.cn
Guo
Jie
J
Ma
Le
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012535:Scalp / Q000293:injuries*; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D015626:Tissue Expansion