Tissue expansion: Difference between revisions

'''Tissue expansion''' is a technique used by plastic, maxillofacial, and reconstructive surgeons to cause the body to grow additional skin, bone, or other tissues.<ref name="whyitworks2021">{{REFweb

Skin expansion is a common surgical procedure to grow extra skin through controlled mechanical overstretch.<ref name="whyitworks2021" /> It creates skin that matches the color, texture, and thickness of the surrounding tissue, while minimizing scars and eliminating risk of rejection.

When skin is stretched beyond its physiological limit, mechanotransduction pathways are activated. This leads to cell growth as well as to the [[Mitosis| formation of new cells]].<ref name="whyitworks2021" />

[[Stretching]] the skin beyond normal expansion invokes several mechanotransduction pathways which increase [[mitosis| mitotic]] activity and promote collagen synthesis.<ref name="whyitworks2021" /> As a result, the skin surface area increases.<ref>{{REFjournal

Boys are born with a [[foreskin]] that is non-retractable for reasons of protection. The inner surface is fused with the [[glans penis]] by a [[synechia]] (similar to a fingernail that is glued to the nail bed of the finger). Also the tip of the foreskin is too narrow to retract. As a boy gets older, the synechia disintegrates and releases the foreskin and the foreskin gets wider as a boy ages, so the foreskin gradually becomes [[Retraction of the foreskin| retractable]]. Some boys go through puberty but find that their [[foreskin]] is still too narrow to permit retraction.  

Tissue expansion has also been used for the technique of non-surgical [[foreskin restoration]], which applies tension externally using specialized devices and/or manual stretching to replace circumcised tissues with newly expanded residual shaft skin.<ref>{{REFjournal

Non-surgical tissue expansion techniques can expand one's surviving penile skin, making it a longer tube so it can function like a [[foreskin]].<ref name="collier2011">{{REFjournal

}}</ref> Men who have been circumcised stretch and apply tension to their shaft and foreskin remnants to expand and elongate tissue in efforts to produce a functional foreskin. This form of tissue expansion can take years, as the amount of skin growth required is typically around 15 square inches.<ref>{{REFweb

}}</ref> This process does not regenerate or restore the function of the [[frenulum]] or the [[ridged band]]. It does, however, typically involve growing more shaft skin and [[preputial mucosa]], which serves to moisten and protect the [[glans penis|glans]]. Men who have restored their foreskin typically notice increased sensitivity and dekeratinization of the glans.<ref>{{REFweb

Men who have been circumcised sometimes report that there is not enough skin left to allow full erection of the [[penis]], so the penis is shorter than before [[circumcision]]. They may also experience tight, painful erections.  In such cases, tissue expansion may help to get full length and relieve pain during erection.