tissue expansion

Indications

• create a space for a permanent prosthesis
• produce extra skin for use in skin flap
  • excised cutaneous ulcer refractory to medical therapy

Procedure

• surgical technique during which an expandable device (sialastic balloon) is placed beneath viable skin
• the device is expanded with serial injections of saline & when the skin has stretched, it is moved to cover a nearby defect.

More general terms

• plastic surgery