The repair of secondary skin defect was once a very challenging problem after resection of huge scar or body surface tumor. It is necessary to find enough autologous skin to cover the wound. For the exposed parts such as the head and face, the color and texture of the skin covering the wound should be the same as the original tissue. The appearance of dilator solves this problem well. As a unique and advanced treatment method in plastic surgery, dilator is based on the principle that the skin and soft tissue dilator is implanted under normal skin and soft tissue near the lesion, and the volume of dilator is increased by intermittently injecting liquid into the expansion sac, so that it exerts pressure on the surface skin and soft tissue, and the tissue and epidermal cells divide and proliferate and the intercellular space is widened through the local action of the expansion mechanism, thereby increasing the skin area. After the expansion sac is taken out, the new skin and soft tissue can be used for tissue repair and organ reconstruction.
Skin and soft tissue expander was first used in the treatment of cicatricial alopecia. After removing the scar area without hair growth, the normal skin with expanded hair around the scar is used to repair the secondary tissue defect after removal, and the treatment of alopecia is realized through the redistribution of hair around the scar. In addition to treating alopecia, full-thickness scalp defect caused by trauma or excision of tumor or spot nevus can also be repaired with expanded skin and soft tissue. Its biggest advantage is that the scalp after repair has hair, and the scar is basically invisible under the cover of hair.
Like the method of repairing the hair area of the head, tissue defects caused by facial and neck scars, pigmented nevus, hemangioma, traumatic tattoo and tumor resection can also be treated with dilator. Because the expanded skin is exactly the same as the surrounding skin, the cosmetic effect is more ideal. In addition, dilator plays an irreplaceable role in facial organ reconstruction (such as total ear and total nose reconstruction).