Arch Craniofac Surg.  2019 Dec;20(6):408-411. 10.7181/acfs.2019.00500.

Serially expanded flap use to treat large hairless scalp lesions

• Shin D
• Kim YH
• Song HG
• Hong JW

• KMID: 2468783
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7181/acfs.2019.00500

Abstract

Hairless scalp areas can occur due to trauma, tumors, or congenital disease. This aesthetically unpleasing condition can lead to psychosocial distress, and thin skin flaps may be prone to scarring. Treating the hairless scalp by simple excision is challenging because of skin tension. Tissue expanders are a good option for hairless scalp resurfacing. However, a single expansion may be inadequate to cover the entire defect. This report describes good results obtained using a serial resurfacing method involving re-expansion of the flap with a tissue expander to treat two patients with large lesions: one due to aplasia cutis congenital and another who underwent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance resection. The results suggest that scalp resurfacing by serial tissue expansion using a tissue expander can be used for extensive lesions.

Keyword

Alopecia; Scalp; Tissue expansion

MeSH Terms

Alopecia
Cicatrix
Dermatofibrosarcoma
Humans
Methods
Scalp*
Skin
Tissue Expansion
Tissue Expansion Devices