Tissue implant could transform reconstructive procedures

The new technology builds on an existing technique called tissue expansion, which is basically a way of stretching out new skin to then be used in cosmetic procedures.

‘Whether it’s a burn or you’ve had cancer or a road accident, the common problem is the lack of skin,’ said Marc Swan, a plastic surgeon at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford who helped develop the new technology. ‘Skin grafts are fine but they don’t look great, particularly for the face.’

Current methods for tissue expansion use implanted balloons that are gradually inflated — usually on a weekly basis — by injecting saline solution through an external filling port.

The problem with these devices is that they are rather crude and bulky, and are not well tolerated by children. Moreover, they can only expand isotropically — that is equally in all directions — which makes them unsuitable for small, delicate procedures where control is key.