title: Reverse tissue expansion by liposuction deflation adopted for harvest of large sheet of full-thickness skin graft.
abstract: Full-thickness skingraft is a valid option to release burn scar contractures with the main purpose of correcting the induced limitation in function and improve the disfiguring appearance of the scar. The main pitfall remains the limited availability of these grafts, especially when large sheets are needed. We present an application of a previously described technique known as reverse tissue expansion, which permits the harvesting of a large sheet of full thickness skin graft when needed. This method was adopted to release a burn scar contracture in a 32-yr-old man who sustained a 65% TBSA burn secondary to a gasoline tank explosion at the age of 7 yr followed by multiple reconstructive procedures. The patient presented with a disfiguring anterior neck contracture coupled to limited range of motion. Improvement of neck extension was contemplated using full-thickness skin graft harvested following reverse tissue expansion achieved by deflation liposuction of the donor site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Debbas
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dibo
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Atiyeh
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Abu-Sittah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isik