Reconstruction of post burn scalp alopecia by using expanded hair-bearing scalp flaps

Background and objective: tissue expansion is a time-tested and frequently used procedure for utilizing local tissue to replace large defects. we aimed to assess the success & complications of tissue expansion in correction of post burn scalp alopecia. methods: in this study,30 patients of scalp burn alopecia of 5 to 35 years age group were treated with tissue expansion of the scalp at bahawal-victoria hospital from january 2013 to december 2014. the area of the scalp loss was within 1/5 to 2/5. our technique employed an insertion site distal to the area needed to be expanded,attempting to minimize complication like extrusion & wound dehiscence. the patients were followed-up weekly during first month and then fortnightly for next four months. result: our study involved 8 male (26.67%) and 22 female subjects (73.33%) with a mean age of 21years. flame burn accounted for the mostly 53.3% (n=16) of scalp burns & parieto-temporal region was most commonly affected in 33.4% (n=10) of subjects. desired aesthetic results were achieved in all the patients without any major complication. minor complication included mild infection in 8 (26.67%),seroma in 4 (13.33%) & wound dehiscence in 2 (6.67%) patients. conclusion: tissue expansion is a simple,safe,& efficient technique for aesthetic scalp reconstruction. with a simple modification of distal incision and tunneling,we succeeded in minimizing complications. versatile design of the expanded scalp flap can distribute the expanded hair-bearing scalp properly in the reconstructed recipient site. © 2015,pakistan journal of medical sciences. all rights reserved.