Systems and methods for a tissue expander

An extended tissue expander for maintaining a breast pocket in a patient during the formation of a final encapsulated breast pocket that is configured to receive a pre-selected final breast implant or tissue flap, the extended tissue expander comprising:

• a breast tissue expander;
• and
• an extension portion coupled to the breast tissue expander, wherein the extension portion:
• extends superiorly past an upper boundary of the breast tissue expander, and
• is capable of maintaining an extended open pocket superiorly to the breast tissue expander to substantially correlate the dimensions of the extended tissue expander to at least one of:
• the desired dimensions of the final encapsulated breast pocket that extends to an anatomic boundary of the patient's breast area;
• and
• the dimensions of the pre-selected final breast implant to provide a tight final encapsulated breast pocket for the pre-selected final breast implant.

An extended tissue expander for maintaining a breast pocket in a patient during the formation of a final encapsulated breast pocket that is configured to receive a pre-selected final breast implant or tissue flap, the extended tissue expander comprising:

• a breast tissue expander;
• and
• an extension portion coupled to the breast tissue expander, wherein the extension portion:
• extends superiorly past an upper boundary of the breast tissue expander and extends from at least a medial border to a lateral border of the breast tissue expander, and
• is capable of maintaining an extended open pocket superiorly to the breast tissue expander to substantially correlate the dimensions of the extended tissue expander to at least one of:
• the desired dimensions of the final encapsulated breast pocket that extends to an anatomic boundary of the patient's breast area;
• and
• the dimensions of the pre-selected final breast implant to provide a tight breast pocket for the pre-selected final breast implant.

An extended tissue expander for maintaining a breast pocket in a patient during the formation of a final encapsulated breast pocket that is configured to receive a pre-selected final breast implant or tissue flap, the extended tissue expander comprising:

• a breast tissue expander;
• and
• an extension portion permanently fixed to the breast tissue expander, wherein the extension portion:
• extends superiorly past an upper boundary of the breast tissue expander, and
• extends past at least one of a medial, lateral, and inferior boundary of the breast tissue expander,
• wherein the extension portion comprises:
• a suturable material capable of being sutured to tissue on the patient's chest wall, and
• a mechanically trimmable material capable of maintaining an extended open pocket superiorly to the breast tissue expander to substantially correlate the dimensions of the extended tissue expander to at least one of:
• the desired dimensions of the final encapsulated breast pocket that extends to an anatomic boundary of the patient's breast area;
• and
• the dimensions of the pre-selected final breast implant to provide a tight final encapsulated breast pocket for the pre-selected final breast implant.

A method of maintaining a breast pocket in a patient during the formation of a final encapsulated breast pocket that is configured to receive a pre-selected final breast implant or tissue flap after mastectomy for breast reconstruction, the method comprising:

• preparing a breast pocket for implantation of an extended tissue expander in a first surgery of a multi-staged breast reconstruction, wherein the extended tissue expander comprises:
• a breast tissue expander;
• and
• an extension portion coupled to the breast tissue expander that extends superiorly past an upper boundary of the breast tissue expander and is capable of maintaining an extended open pocket superiorly to the breast tissue expander to substantially correlate the dimensions of the extended tissue expander to at least one of:
• the desired dimensions of the final encapsulated breast pocket that extends to an anatomic boundary of the patient's breast area;
• and
• the dimensions of the pre-selected final breast implant to provide a tight final encapsulated breast pocket for the pre-selected final breast implant, and
• wherein the extension portion is configured to maintain the open pocket until a subsequent surgery of the multi-staged breast reconstruction;
• trimming at least one dimension of the extension portion to substantially correlate the dimensions of the extended tissue expander to at least one of the desired dimensions of the final encapsulated breast pocket and the dimensions of the pre-selected final breast implant;
• and
• disposing the trimmed extended tissue expander into the breast pocket, wherein the breast tissue expander is at least partially collapsed.