Tissue Expander Use for Reconstruction of Scalp Soft Tissue Sarcoma Wide Resection Defects

The potentially curative treatment for soft tissue sarcomas is wide resection. When located on the scalp, this can require removal of significant volumes of adjacent soft tissues as well as the skull periosteum. Consequently, reconstruction of the surgical defect is challenging. For patients receiving preoperative radiation or chemotherapy, gradual tissue expansion through the placement of a preoperative tissue expander can allow for primary closure of the wide resection defect, typically with hair-bearing scalp.