Patent ID: 8007532

Claim:
An implantable soft tissue expander including a base and a cover overlying the base, the cover and base joined together at the circumference of the expander to form a fluid tight interior chamber, said base formed from a flexible material, said cover formed from a flexible elastomer material so that the cover expands above the base when liquid is flowed into the interior chamber; the cover and base defining two spaced apart side portions and a width adjustable central portion between the side portions, each side portion extending around the expander; a flat, flexible first connecting member having an adjustable fixed length, the connecting member located below the base and extending across the width of the adjustable central portion, the first connecting member having a first mounting element under the base at one side portion, a second mounting element under the base at the other side portion, a flat, flexible center portion under the base and extending between the first and second mounting elements and means for selectively adjusting the length of the center portion to one of a number of predetermined lengths; and two connections, each connection joining one mounting element to the base at the adjacent side portion; wherein during expansion of the cover and overlying soft tissue the base and the first connecting member are supported by underlying bone and the width of the expander is determined by the selectively adjusted fixed length of the center portion.