External Expander for Revision of a Leg Scar: A Case Report

Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2025 Apr 10;13(4):e6690. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000006690. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Abstract

The main purpose of an extremity wound reconstruction is to provide long-lasting soft tissue coverage while minimizing consequences. Complex wounds sometimes necessitate skin grafting or flap reconstruction, which can be worsened by functional and aesthetic complications. Tissue expansion evolved as an ideal solution to a variety of reconstructive challenges. This technique prevents the possible complications frequently associated with tissue transfer reconstructions and offers a reconstructive option that does not require extensive surgical complexity. Unlike internal tissue expansion, which has been linked to a high rate of reconstructive problems, particularly when applied in the extremities, external tissue expansion is a simple procedure that generates durable skin for wound closure at low costs. This case reported a 35-year-old woman who presented with a partial skin loss from a scar on her left leg. Scar revision was performed using an external tissue expansion approach, which yielded good results in a short length of time.