OBJECTIVE To testify the availability and the clinical efficacy of the skin-stretching device. METHODS The skin-stretching device designed by ZHOU Li-an, which was used in the treatment of the granulation wound, the donor site of flap, and the skin defect after the excision of tumor by skin traction technique at the wound edges. RESULTS The usage time of skin-stretching device was 15-720 minutes, it could be used preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively. Followed up 16 cases for 6 to 12 months, the device was effective. CONCLUSION The skin stretching device is practical and effective in wound closure of skin defect.
The experiment performed on domestic pig, was designed to investigate the architecture of the stretching skin and the effect of tension traction on the wound closure. An 7 cm x 3.5 cm was drawn at a standard position. Drawing horizontal and vertical lines on the traction area, points of 1 cm apart were tattooed on the lines. A traction force measuring device was used to draw the wound edges together. Measurements of the distances between the points were made. An 7 cm x 10 cm wound was made on identical sites of each hind leg. In the experiment the traction tension was applied on the edges of wound immediately after the wound debridement. The results showed the stretched distance in the two areas was 5-7 times the width of the wound. The gain of skin from traction was 61-89 percent in the width of the wound. The wounds from traction five days could be closed 5 days after traction. It was concluded that the skin which could be used for traction was abundant. Wound closure with the skin traction technique had many advantages, such as rapid decreasing the size of wound and early closing of wound.