Rui Li , Zilong Cao , Jianmin Yang , Weiwei Li , Guihuai Wang , Cheng Gan , Qiang Yue , Liqiang Liu
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
An expander capsule is a fibrous membrane that forms around a tissue expander. However, its outcome is still unclear. Here we investigated the biomechanical and histological outcomes of cervical capsules that were left in vivo after expanders were removed.
Methods
The deep and superficial capsules of 29 human cervical expanders were collected to serve as an experimental group. All 29 patients sustained facial and neck burn scars and underwent scar excision and expanded skin flap transfer. These capsules were divided into four groups based on the in vivo persistence time of the capsules following expander removal. The control group featured skin from five normal subjects. We investigated the biomechanics and histology of each group of capsules.
Results
Capsule thickness, Young's modulus, collagen content, type I/III collagen ratio and α-SMA expression level were significantly related to the layer and the persistence time of the capsule in vivo (p＜0.05). Capsules persisted for more than 24 months following expander removal, the Young's modulus of the capsules remained greater than that of normal skin, limiting neck mobility. Moreover, some patients experience cord-like capsular contracture and a cervical pulling sensation, which may be attributable to the fusion of the deep expander capsules and platysma muscle.
Conclusions
Following the removal of neck expanders, the capsules can persist in vivo for a long time, affecting cervical contours and mobility.
期刊介绍：
Burns aims to foster the exchange of information among all engaged in preventing and treating the effects of burns. The journal focuses on clinical, scientific and social aspects of these injuries and covers the prevention of the injury, the epidemiology of such injuries and all aspects of treatment including development of new techniques and technologies and verification of existing ones. Regular features include clinical and scientific papers, state of the art reviews and descriptions of burn-care in practice.
Topics covered by Burns include: the effects of smoke on man and animals, their tissues and cells; the responses to and treatment of patients and animals with chemical injuries to the skin; the biological and clinical effects of cold injuries; surgical techniques which are, or may be relevant to the treatment of burned patients during the acute or reconstructive phase following injury; well controlled laboratory studies of the effectiveness of anti-microbial agents on infection and new materials on scarring and healing; inflammatory responses to injury, effectiveness of related agents and other compounds used to modify the physiological and cellular responses to the injury; experimental studies of burns and the outcome of burn wound healing; regenerative medicine concerning the skin.
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