Summary:
Although highly specialized burn centers have significantly reduced mortality rates following extensive total body
surface area burns, survivors are often left with grotesque facial disfigurement. Hypertrophic scars and tissue
defects are the most common cause of functional and aesthetic problems in the head and neck region. Plastic surgeons
use full-thickness or split-thickness skin grafts, pedicled flaps, free flaps, transplantation of bone or cartilage
and tissue expansion. The authors present a case of a patient who suffered from third-degree flame burns to the
face. Prior skin grafting procedures left him with severe scar deformity of the face. The patient was treated utilizing
multiple tissue expansion. Facial animation has retained and facial integrity has been aesthetically restored and,
with the use of make-up, it is near normal in social settings at conversational distances. The tissue expansion technique
is advantageous in facial reconstruction because it makes it possible to resurface even wider defects with
neighboring skin, similar in colour and texture, and superior to skin obtained elsewhere.
Key words:
facial burn sequelae, tissue expansion
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