TISSUE EXPANSION
What is tissue expansion?
With the help of this procedure,it enables the body to grow some extra skin, for use to reconstruct almost any area of the body. This is done, with the help of a, silicone balloon expander,which is inserted under the skin near the area to be repaired and then gradually filled with salt water over time, which causes the skin to stretch and grow. This is most commonly used in breast reconstruction following breast removal,and this technique is also used to repair skin which is damaged by birth defects, accidents or surgery, and in certain cosmetic procedures. If the doctor is recommending tissue expansion,this technique, will help understand what the procedure is about,and how it can help and how it is performed and the results which you can expect. Make sure you ask the surgeon anything you do not understand about the procedure.
Candidates for tissue expansion
Individuals who are in need of a tissue expansion, can be candidate of tissue expansion, from infants to elderly men and women. This procedure, is most commonly done in breast reconstruction, when there is not enough of skin to accommodated a permanent implant to restore a woman's natural appearance.
This technique is also done for replacing areas of the scalp where hair growth makes it difficult to replace the lost tissue with skin from other areas of the body.
With tissue expansion, usually the results are excellent, when reconstructing some areas of the face, hands, neck,arms and legs.
Expansion could be a little difficult, on the back, torso, or other areas where skin is thick. If the area is severely damage, or scarred, then tissue expansion is probably not an option since healthy skin is the first requirement.
Tissue Expansion Advantages
Previously, surgeons, used to use an old tradition of grafting skin from skin flaps and skin grafts to reconstruct damaged tissue. Now tissue expansion, is a new technique with several advantages.
Expansion, which offers a near-perfect match of colour , texture and hair -bearing qualities, because the skin remain connected to the donor area, the blood and nerve supply, there are smaller risks that it will die. The advantage, is as skin does not need to be shifted from on area to another, the scars, are less apparent.
Tissue Expansion Disadvantages
The disadvantage of this technique, is it has one significant draw-back the length of time required to grow additional skin,this also depends on the area to be reconstructed, and the tissue expansion can take as long as three to four months.
With tissue expansion the expander, creates an abnormal bulge, which is more desirable, and used in breast reconstruction, however it can be quite noticeable for someone requiring, a repair of the scalp or other areas of the body. Considering this procedure, it requires visits to the surgeon for an injection of the salt water which inflates the balloon, some people would not like the idea of an expander as it is inconvenient and an obvious appearance.
Tissue expansion surgery recovery and follow up
After Your Surgery
This depends on the complexity of the procedure. You would experience,temporary discomfort, which can be controlled with medication prescribed by the physician. The patient would feel some minor discomfort, but this too can be controlled with medication.
Getting Back to Normal
It depends, how soon you are resume to your normal routine, and the complexity and type of surgery you have had. If tissue expansion is done for reconstruction of the breast, then patients usually resume to normal activity in 2-4 days. Most of them say that they can resume to normal activity with the expander in its place, after the surgery the patients are up an about in a week.
Your New Look
The results with regards, to tissue expansion are superior to other methods, which are used to reconstruct or repair the damaged skin. However for most tissue expansion patients, this procedure is dramatically improves their appearance and quality of life following surgery. If you have an open mind, healthy and phenologically stable then you would be pleased with a new look.