Use of self‐inflating tissue expanders in equine surgery: A prospective study of 20 cases

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundTissue expansion is a well‐established technique in reconstructive surgery. Self‐inflating tissue expanders (STE) have not been widely adopted by veterinary surgeons, and clinical descriptions of their use in horses are lacking.ObjectiveTo describe the indications, clinical experiences and outcomes of a series of equine cases that used a hydrogel‐based STE to assist soft tissue reconstruction.Study designProspective clinical study.MethodsCase details, surgical techniques and outcomes were recorded for horses requiring use of an STE, using a predesigned data collection sheet completed by the treating surgeon. All horses underwent two surgical procedures as part of their treatment: one to place the STE(s) and a second to remove the device(s) and perform reconstructive surgery using the expanded tissue.ResultsTwenty horses had STEs implanted at seven clinics and had sufficient follow‐up for inclusion in the study. Indications for using the expanders included the following: expansion of skin prior to excision of a neoplastic lesion (n = 13), repair of a sinocutaneous fistula (n = 2), repair of chronic scarring or a nonhealing wound (n = 2), repair of a full‐thickness ear pinna defect (n = 1) and repair of a rectovestibular injury (n = 2). The degree of tissue expansion was graded as good in 19/20 cases (95%) and provided sufficient tissue to cover the entire defect in 11/20 cases (55%). STE‐associated complications occurred in 9/20 horses (45%), but none of these complications were serious. The final clinical outcome was graded by the treating surgeon as good or excellent in 15/20 horses (75%).Main limitationsOnly one type of STE device is described, and its use was not compared with other treatments. Information regarding use of the STE at locations other than the head (n = 3) is limited.ConclusionsUse of a STE device in horses resulted in no serious complications and provided a good outcome in a variety of equine clinical cases.