Uni-axial tissular extension for covering skin defects of the limbs. A 31 cases review

The skin property to adapt to external constraints is widely used in plastic surgery. Tissue expansion is the most known and codified application. Tissue extension appears to be an attractive alternative. The authors propose the usage of a simplified procedure to deal with skin loss in the superior or inferior members. Thirty-one patients underwent uni-axial traction between February 2000 and October 2003. Closure of skin loss on the upper member has been obtained in 6 days and in 8 days on the inferior member. Efficiency, reliability and no subsequent aftermaths are strong arguments in favor of the development of a simplified extension procedure. The tissue extension procedure, although scarcely used is an attractive procedure for the coverage of skin losses.