Application of silicon tissue expanders for the direct or indirect coverage of soft tissue defects in the extremities.

In a 2 year prospective study, 17 tissue expanders were placed on the extremities of 17 patients. The aim was to cover soft tissue defects in the forearm of 8 patients after chinese flap dissection, which was used either as a free or reversed flap. In 8 of the remaining patients, the expanded skin was placed directly on the affected region as a local fasciocutaneous flap. In 1 patient it was determined intra-operatively that the prepared extended skin was not necessary to treat the patient. The tissue expander was successfully used to cover skin defects, both directly and indirectly, in the lower extremity (7 cases) and in the upper extremity (9 cases). Neither infection nor necrosis was observed in the flaps and the cosmetic results, particularly in the forearm, were satisfactory.