Skin expansion in head and neck reconstructive surgery

Abstract

We used a tissue-expansion technique to achieve soft-tissue reconstruction in congenital and acquired defects of head and neck. One hundred and fifty-five head and neck reconstructions have been performed, with a 6 percent rate of major complications. We present our planning and surgical approach for single areas. From a technical point of view, the only major difference from the rest of literature is the approach to the problem of periprosthetic capsule. In fact, we believe that complete removal of the capsule, which can be achieved without vascular risk thanks to a special technique, is necessary to obtain the best results.