The osmotic tissue expander consists of a Methylmethacrylate and
N-Vinylpyrrolidone copolymer similar to what is used to manufacture
soft contact lenses. This innovative biomaterial has been
chemically modified so that expands up to 12 times in volume
when exposed to liquid.
The tissue expansion is carried out passively with a consistent
rate of pressure of approximately 20-30mmHg as the device
absorbs fluid from the surrounding tissue space. The rate
and time is dependent of the available moisture and the counter
pressure of the tissue space.
There are two available configurations: hemispheres for the
soft tissues of the socket and palpebral fissure and spheres
for the bony tissues of the deep orbit. The soft tissue of
the palpebral fissure begins expanding immediately producing
notable results in approximately one week. Expansion of the
bony orbit may take 6 months or more.
The device configurations are used as a complementary system
to maximize the potential to achieve uniform cosmetic symmetry.
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