Sonographic evaluation of dermis and subcutaneous tissue during and after skin expansion

Soft-tissue thickness modifications were evaluated by high-resolution ultrasound sonography in six patients undergoing skin expansion, with the aim of investigating the possible use of this noninvasive method in the routine monitoring of soft tissues during and after skin expansion. Both during expansion (decrease) and in the postoperative period (increases up to 100 percent or more of the baseline preoperative value), changes in fat thickness occurred faster and were greater in magnitude than those in dermal tissue, overall gradual and limited. In our series, the values of fat thickness ranged between 44 (at full-expansion time) and 140 percent (2 months after expander removal), with a highly significant difference (p = 0.0003), while dermis thickness values ranged between 83 and 114 percent, respectively, showing no significant difference (p = 0.71). Some echostructural dermal modifications were found by the 20-MHz probe at full skin expansion only. High-resolution ultrasound sonography may be proposed as a noninvasive method in the routine monitoring of soft tissues during and after skin expansion. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 93: 1050, 1994.)