Complications of Tissue Expander Placement in Reconstructive Surgery

Tissue expanders are widely used in reconstructive surgery, especially for burn patients, breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, or coverage of complex defects. Although they have important advantages in staged reconstruction, they are not without complications. Infection, extrusion, seroma formation, capsular contracture, pain, and implant failure are some of the complications of tissue expander placement as discussed in this paper. Knowledge regarding these risk factors is important for optimizing patient outcomes and creating preventative strategies against complications.