New economical and simple device for intraoperative expansion on small and medium sized soft tissue defects.
- Author:
Jun Won LEE
1
;
Seong Hoon PARK
;
Seong Joo LEE
;
Seong Hwan KIM
;
Hii Sun JEONG
;
In Suck SUH
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Tissue expansion; Surgical procedures, operative; Equipment and supplies
- MeSH: Catheters; Contracture; Equipment and Supplies; Humans; Inflation, Economic; Latex; Operating Rooms; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies; Skin; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Tissue Expansion; Tissue Expansion Devices
- From:Archives of Craniofacial Surgery 2018;19(3):235-239
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Intraoperative expansion has been used to cover small to large defects without disadvantages of the conventional tissue expanders. Various materials, for example, expanders and Foley catheters are being used. We introduce a new, convenient and economical device immediately available in the operating room, according to the defect size for intraoperative expansion, with latex gloves or balloons. The retrospective study was done with 20 patients who presented with skin and soft tissue defects. During the operation, expansion was done with latex gloves or balloons inflated with saline through an intravenous line and a three-way stopcock. After the inflation, the glove was removed and skin was covered with expanded tissue. A careful decision was made regarding the inflation volume and placement of the expander according to the defect size. There were no postoperative complications. The skin contracture and tension was minimal with a texture similar to the adjacent tissue. The new intraoperative expansion devices with latex gloves and balloons were cheap and made easily right in the operation room. The reconstruction of small to large sized skin defects can be done successfully, functionally and aesthetically without using expensive commercial materials.
