The use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene as a permanent filler and enhancer: an early report of experience

Plastic and reconstructive surgeons have long sought the ideal material to fill and enhance defects of the head and body. Many of the most widely used materials present problems for the surgeon or the patient, so the search continues. For the past 15 months, we have been using expanded polytetrafluo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnals of plastic surgery Vol. 32; no. 5; p. 457
Main Authors Artz, J S, Dinner, M I
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.05.1994
Subjects
Adult
Connective Tissue - pathology
Dermatologic Surgical Procedures
Face - pathology
Face - surgery
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Middle Aged
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Prostheses and Implants
Skin - pathology
Surgery, Plastic
Suture Techniques
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Summary:Plastic and reconstructive surgeons have long sought the ideal material to fill and enhance defects of the head and body. Many of the most widely used materials present problems for the surgeon or the patient, so the search continues. For the past 15 months, we have been using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) Gore-Tex Soft Tissue Patch to fill in nasolabial and glabellar creases and to augment malar bones and the chin. Early evaluation indicates that ePTFE performs well with very few problems, with a high level of patient and surgeon satisfaction. Histological examination of 3-month explants from the postauricular subcutaneous plane and the antecubital fossa indicate minimal inflammatory response and some collagen penetration into the interstices of the prosthesis.
ISSN:0148-7043
DOI:10.1097/00000637-199405000-00003