ABSTRACT
Tissue expansion relies on the ability of skin and soft tissues to generate in re sponse to tension. In plastic surgery, tension is generated by implanting a subcuta neous balloon (expander) that is inflated over a period of weeks; new tissue is generated in response to the constant stretch caused by the progressive inflation of this ex pander. This tissue can be used to reconstruct extirpative or traumatic defects such as those encountered after mastectomy, burn excision, or removal of giant nevi.
