Tissue Expansion

Tissue expansion enables soft tissue coverage of large defects secondary to burns, trauma, congenital malformations and cancer excision. It involves the insertion of an implant adjacent to a wound or defect that needs to be resurfaced. The chapter discusses the pathophysiology, surgical technique and complications of tissue expansion as well as recent developments such as external tissue expansion and needleless expansion with the AeroForm expander. Tissue expansion remains a powerful tool in the reconstructive ladder and the armamentarium of plastic surgeons.