Summary
Excision of a congenital giant nevus is advised due to the possibility of it degenerating
into a malignant melanoma or for aesthetic concerns. Tissue expansion has emerged
as the primary treatment of giant congenital nevi because it enables the body to produce
extra skin with excellent texture, better colour match, less severe donor-site deformity
and repeated usage of an expanding donor-site. We present a multi-staged expansion/local
flap technique to treat a case of a circumferential nevus from the acromioclavicular
joint and axillary area throughout the upper extremity excluding the hand. The affected
skin was approximately 10% of the total body surface area. The patient underwent eight
operations and a total of 11 rounds of tissue expansions (500 cc × 9 rounds, 600 cc × 1
round, 300 cc × 1 round) were completed over a 2-year period prior to the removal
of the nevus. A good aesthetic and functional outcome in the left upper extremity
was gained. It is recommended that the treatment of giant nevi is best if completed
at preschool age after taking several factors into consideration.
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 28, 2011
Accepted:
June 28,
2011
Received:
March 5,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
