[The indications, technics and results of the use of tissue expanders in pediatric surgery].

We review our experience in tissue expansion in twenty-four pediatric patients. The most frequent indications for the use of tissue expanders included congenital nevi and burn scars, they were also used with success in alopecia, congenital abdominal wall defects, mammary hypoplasia and microtia. Tissue expanders were always placed subcutaneously. Both, surgery and body deformity during expansion, were well tolerated. We found complications in five cases, but only in one patient treatment was interrupted. Results were considered excellent in nineteen cases.