What should you know about a Mentor smooth tissue expander?

The expander is placed beneath or behind chest tissue during reconstructive surgery. It has an internal valve that allows the clinical team to add sterile fluid during appointments, gently creating space over time. The device is not usually the final breast implant; it is part of a staged plan.

A smooth surface describes the outer shell. Choice of device depends on available skin and muscle, previous treatment such as radiotherapy, chest shape, healing factors, and the surgeon’s technique. The device can feel firm, tight, or uneven while it is being filled.

Attend scheduled filling visits and report pressure, pain, skin colour changes, or increasing tightness before the next appointment. Follow instructions about dressings, bathing, exercise, sleeping position, and medicines. Avoid pressing or manipulating the valve unless your surgeon has shown you how to protect the area.

Ask how long the expansion stage may take, when the next operation could occur, and what alternatives fit your body and priorities. Read more about [Tissue Expander](/materials/tissue-expander/) and [Breast Reconstruction](/treatments/surgical-oncology/breast-reconstruction/).

Contact the surgical team promptly for spreading redness, warmth, drainage, fever, wound opening, sudden swelling, a new change in device position, or pain that is worsening rather than settling. Urgent help is needed for severe breathlessness, chest pain, or fainting.

Where will the expander sit? How will fills feel? What signs suggest infection or leakage? When can I exercise or sleep on that side? What is the planned next stage, and what happens if the skin does not stretch as expected?