What is Tissue Expansion by Balloon?

Tissue expanders are basicllay balloons that are inflated over a few months period to stretch soft tissue in breat reconstruction.

Tissue expanders are commonly used for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. These are devices placed under the pectoralis muscle, that are periodically filled with sterile saline in order to stretch the surrounding tissues for a permanent implant. The expansions can be done in the office over multiple visits. After the skin has been slowly stretched, a second surgery is performed in which a permanent, softer implant replaces the more rigid tissue expander. Best wishes... more

Tissue expanders are temporary, adjustable implants (like balloons) that are placed under the pectoralis muscle after mastectomy. The expander is used as a spacer to prevent removal of excess skin and to create the pocket for an implant or flap in the future. After surgery, the expander is injected with saline to stretch skin. My patients help decide how large they want their breast during the expansion process. The expander is removed in a second stage operation and replaced with... more

A tissue expander is a device which is increased in size over time by filling it with saline (salt water). Plastic surgeons use these devices for many different reconstructive procedures when they need more tissue than what is available. In breast reconstruction, after the breast is removed in a mastectomy, a tissue expander is placed underneath the pectoralis muscle and under a product called Alloderm. Thus, the expander is completely isolated from the overlying (and healing) skin. The... more

Breast reconstruction with tissue expander is a method where a deflated permanent implant is placed beneath the chest muscle. Alloderm (dermis) can be added to completely cover the device. The reconstruction is allowed about two weeks of healing and after that point the implant is inflated with saline in the office. This is usually accomplished once a week until the final volume is reached. The expander is allowed to sit without expansion for at least 4 weeks and anytime after that point... more

Tissue expanders are temporary, inflatable implants that are placed on the chest, usually under the pectoralis muscle after mastectomy, and then injected with saline through a port to place the overlying soft tissue on stretch. As the expanders gets larger and larger, the skin stretches and provides more skin to allow shaping of the breast. This usually requires removing the expander at a second stage and replacing it with a permanent implant. The expander can also be used as a mere spacer... more

Tissue expansion is a technique that involves the placement of an expander below the skin or the deeper tissues in order to recruit and expand these tissues. Different types of expanders are used in different body parts. One of the commonest applications is the use of tissue expanders in breast reconstruction and burn reconstruction.

Tissue expanders are inflatable balloon-like devices that can stretch tissue to assist in the reconstruction of wounds and defects typically resulting from injury or cancer surgery. The principles are similar to what happens to a woman's abdomen during pregnancy. When stretching forces (inflating the expander) are applied to healthy skin, it will increase in volume and can then be used in reconstruction. The most common use of expansion is in the reconstruction of a mastectomy with... more