Best Reconstructive Techniques: Improving the Final Scar.

Background: Abnormal cutaneous scarring is due to excessive growth of fibrous tissue in response to traumatic or iatrogenic tissue injury and may adversely affect a patient's quality of life. The success of a surgical procedure is often tied to the cosmetic outcome.

Objectives: To provide a synthesis of available literature and provide guidelines for the management of cutaneous scars with laser technology.

Long-term patient-reported functional and cosmetic outcomes following severe traumatic foot and ankle wound reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix.

Background: The prevalence of acellular dermal matrices in reconstructive surgery has increased through the last decade with satisfying outcomes. Long-term follow-up and effectiveness studies could enable appropriate use of these devices and challenge the current gold-standard treatments. This paper presents functional and cosmetic long-term outcomes on the Integra(®) Dermal Regeneration Template (IDRT) for treating traumatic soft-tissue defects of the foot and ankle.

Soft tissue trauma and scar revision.

Numerous techniques and treatments have been described for scar revision, with most studies focusing on the adult population. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals a paucity of references related specifically to scar revision in children. This review describes the available modalities in pediatric facial scar revision.

Comparison of non-ablative and ablative fractional laser treatments in a postoperative scar study.

Background And Objective: Postoperative scarring after thyroidectomy is a problem for both patients and clinicians. Recently, both non-ablative and ablative fractional laser (NFL and AFL) systems have attracted attention as potential therapies for the revision of thyroidectomy scars. The present split-scar study was designed to directly compare the efficacy of these two methods for the treatment of post-thyroidectomy scars.

Updated international clinical recommendations on scar management: part 1--evaluating the evidence.

Background: There is an ongoing need to standardize scar management by establishing safe and effective treatment options that can be applied in routine clinical practice.

Objective: To review available data on methods for preventing and treating cutaneous scarring.

Materials And Methods: Relevant scientific literature was identified through a comprehensive search of the MEDLINE database.

The Role of the CO2 Laser and Fractional CO2 Laser in Dermatology.

Background: Tremendous advances have been made in the medical application of the laser in the past few decades. Many diseases in the dermatological field are now indications for laser treatment that qualify for reimbursement by many national health insurance systems. Among laser types, the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser remains an important system for the dermatologist.

Scar prevention and remodeling: a review of the medical, surgical, topical and light treatment approaches.

Cosmetic, functional, and structural sequelae of scarring are innumerable, and measures exist to optimize and ultimately minimize these sequelae. To evaluate the innumerable methods available to decrease the cosmetic, functional, and structural repercussions of scarring, pubMed search of the English literature with key words scar, scar revision, scar prevention, scar treatment, scar remodeling, cicatrix, cicatrix treatment, and cicatrix remodeling was done. Original articles and reviews were examined and included.

Scar revision.

Most surgical patients end up with a scar and most of these would want at least some improvement in the appearance of the scar. Using sound techniques for wound closure surgeons can, to a certain extent, prevent suboptimal scars. This article reviews the principles of prevention and treatment of suboptimal scars.

Laser scar management technique.

Background And Aims: Scars are common and cause functional problems and psychological morbidity. Recent advances in optical technologies have produced various laser systems capable of revising the appearance of scars from various etiologies to optimize their appearance.

Methods: Laser treatment can commence as early as the time of the initial injury and as late as several years after the injury.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on outcomes for endoscopic versus external dacryocystorhinostomy.

Background: Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is commonly performed for epiphora, dacryocystitis and during tumor surgery. External (EXT-DCR) and endoscopic DCR (END-DCR) are both practiced. END-DCR was initially performed with laser (EL-DCR) but has shifted to careful bone removal with mechanical drills (EM-DCR).

Residual scarring from hidradenitis suppurativa: fractionated CO2 laser as a novel and noninvasive approach.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin condition that can have a significant psychosocial impact, both with the active disease and with residual scarring. Although a wide variety of treatment options exist for HS, to our knowledge there are no reported modalities aimed specifically at treating HS scarring. We describe the case of an adolescent female who received medical management of intramammary HS followed by successful treatment with fractionated 10,600-nm carbon dioxide laser for her residual cribriform scarring.

Addition of platelet concentrate to dermo-epidermal skin graft in deep burn trauma reduces scarring and need for revision surgeries.

Background: [corrected] Deep skin burn injuries, especially those on the face, hands, feet, genitalia and perineum represent significant therapeutic challenges. Autologous dermo-epidermal skin grafts (DESG) have become standard of care for treating deep burns. Additionally, human autologous thrombin activated autologous platelet concentrate (APC) has gained acceptance in the setting of wounds.

[The treatment of combined cicatrical stenoses of the larynx and trachea].

The objective of the present study was to analyse the causes behind formation of combined laryngothracheal stenoses and the factors contributing to their development. The secondary objective was to determine the main classification characteristics of cicatrical stenoses of the larynx and trachea, and to estimate the effectiveness of their treatment by a combined reconstructive surgical technique. Analysis of outcomes of the surgical treatment of 19 patients with combined cicatrical stenoses of the larynx and trachea of different etiology for the period from 2005 to 2011 is presented.

Lipolysis using a new 1540-nm diode laser: a retrospective analysis of 230 consecutive procedures.

Background: Although traditional liposuction still remains the most required body sculpting procedure, laser lipolysis systems are becoming increasingly popular. The feasibility and efficacy of a new 1540-nm diode laser for suction-assisted laser lipolysis were evaluated.

Methods: Two hundred-thirty patients underwent a new 1540-nm diode laser lipolysis.

Usefulness of carbon dioxide laser for recurrent lumbar disc herniation.

Objective: During revision microdiscectomy for recurrent lumbar disc herniation (rLDH), the major concerns are approach-related complications, including dural tear and nerve root injury, because of adhesion scars and granulation tissue along the previous laminotomy site. In revision microdiscectomy of rLDH, carbon dioxide (CO2) laser can enable precise dissection and removal of adhesion scar. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of CO2 laser dissection in patients who had undergone revision microdisectomy of rLDH.

Scar revision review.

Scars are a natural part of dermal healing following lacerations, incisions, or tissue loss. They can vary in quality depending on the individual's racial characteristics, the mechanism of the trauma, and conditions in which the wound healed-all of which are factors beyond the surgeon's control. A scar on the face can have significant implications for the patient.

Successes, revisions, and postoperative complications in 446 Mohs defect repairs.

Objective: To determine factors predictive of complications and the need for adjunctive treatments repair of facial Mohs defects.

Methods: Charts of patients undergoing repair of facial defects from 2000 to 2010 in an academic facial plastic surgery practice were reviewed for patient medical history, tumor type, defect site and size, method of repair, postoperative sequelae, and adjunctive treatments.

Results: A total of 446 Mohs defect repairs were analyzed.

Early chemabrasion for acne scars after treatment with oral isotretinoin.

Background: Acne is an inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous follicles. Oral isotretinoin is the treatment of choice for severe acne. Exaggerated cicatrization related to oral isotretinoin was reported in the 1980s and 1990s.

Ablative fractional resurfacing for the treatment of traumatic scars and contractures.

After a decade of military conflict, thousands of wounded warriors have suffered debilitating and cosmetically disfiguring scars and scar contractures. Clearly, there is a need for effective scar treatment regimens to assist in the functional and cosmetic rehabilitation of these patients. Traditional treatments, including aggressive physical and occupational therapy and dedicated wound care, are essential.

Management of acne scarring, part I: a comparative review of laser surgical approaches.

Acne scarring is the result of a deviation in the orderly pattern of healing and can have profound psychosocial implications for patients. While the most effective means of addressing acne scarring is to prevent its formation through good acne control, there are a number of therapeutic interventions that improve the appearance of acne scars. Many of these procedural modalities have flaws and are limited by operator skill and experience.

Comparison of the effectiveness of nonablative fractional laser versus ablative fractional laser in thyroidectomy scar prevention: A pilot study.

A scar is a mark that remains after the healing of a wound or other morbid processes. In the past, treatment was mainly focused on severe scarring, such as the hypertrophic and burn scars. However, scars from relatively minor wounds can also be stressful.