Scar revision Flashcards
Fusiform elliptical excision is the simplest surgical technique for scar revision but the resultant scar is always longer than the original scar
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W-plasty, geometric broken-line closure and Z-plasty each use irregular lines, to give a less visible scar.
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Z-plasty, V-Y repair and Y-V repair are techniques to shorten scars.
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Lengthen.
Dermabrasion and ablative laser both can improve uneven scar edges and raised grafts and flaps.
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Scars with poor cosmetic results include those that are wide, raised, depressed, red or pigmented, or those that transect natural relaxed skin tension lines.
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Scars that run parallel to the relaxed skin tension lines reduce the tension across a wound, resulting in a thinner scar.
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Pin-cushioning occurs due to contraction of the flap wound bed during healing, causing the flap to buckle.
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is less noticable if a whole cosmetic unit has been replaced eg nasal tip
Square-edged flaps are more likely to pin-cushion.
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Rounded or U-shaped flaps.
Pin-cushioning can be minimised by widely undermining the defect so that the flap and the surrounding skin contract together during the wound healing process.
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and adequatley sizing and defatting the flap
Scars can take over 1 year to mature as collagen continues to remodel
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Scar massage should begin as soon as possible after any flap surgery.
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Should start approx. 1 month post surgery.
Intralesional steroid is ideal for hypertrophic linear scars, as well as bulky grafts and flaps.
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Intralesional steroid should be delayed until at least 2 months after surgery.
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at least 1 month. Often done at 6 wks
Can repeat monthly until scar flattened.
PDL reduces overall scar redness, as well as promoting collagen remodelling and scar softening
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PDL treatment of scars works best at higher fluences.
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Subpurpuric fluences.
PDL can be used for atrophic scars.
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1550nm fractional Erbium (fraxel)
Treatment of hypopigmented scars with fractional lasers is highly efficacious.
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Limited efficacy.
Fusiform elliptical surgery is best suited for spread, or depressed scars that usually result from excess tension and/or poor wound eversion at the time of the initial surgery.
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W-plasty and geometric broken-line closures rely on the principle that an irregular line is less visible than a straight one.
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For a W-plasty, the tips of the ‘W’ should run perpendicular to the relaxed skin tension lines.
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Parallel or within the RSTLs (assuming the original scar is perpendicualr to the RSTLs)
For a W-plasty, the width of each triangular cut out should be approximately 5mm to achieve a visibly regular line.
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to achieve the desired visibly irregular line.
The advantage of the W-plasty is reduced with longer scars because the regularity of hte zigzags makes it more noticeable
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A geometric broken-line closure is preferable for longer scars.
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pattern determined by surgeon but must be mirrored on opposite side of wound
The Z-plasty alters the direction of a prominent scar placed perpendicular to the RSTLs to be parallel to the RSTLs.
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The Z-plasty lengthens a contracted scar.
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