Skin Wound Tension Reduction Device Combined with Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser to Reduce Scar Formation After Excision of Pediatric Facial Skin Lesions: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Haiting Xu,1,2 Jing Li,1 Zifu Zhou,1 Jianhai Bi,1 Xiaoyang Li,2 Ran Huo1,3 1Department of Plastic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Plastic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ran Huo, Department of Plastic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, No. 324, Jingwuweiqi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: To investigate the efficacy of skin wound tension reduction device (SWTRD) combined with ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser (CO2-AFL) for the prevention of scar formation following the excision of facial cutaneous lesions in children.Methods: Patients undergoing surgical excision of facial cutaneous lesions in our hospital between May 2019 and April 2021 were enrolled. After the excision of facial cutaneous lesions and based on the personal intents and conditions, patients were assigned to undergo SWTRD combined with CO2-AFL. Outcome evaluations were as follows: defect size, incision width, scar width, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and University of North Carolina 4P Scar Scale (UNC4P).Results: A total of 25 pediatric patients (mean age, 9.88 years) were enrolled in the study. Following the treatment of SWTRD+CO2-AFL, scar widths were relatively narrow and the appearance of the incision scars was significantly improved. A significant reduction in the patient-reported UNC4P scores at 6 months (3, 1– 4) was observed when compared with that at 2 months (0, 0– 1) after surgery (p< 0.001). A similar reduction in the VSS scar scale was also evident (6 months: 1, 0.75– 2.5 vs 2 months: 6.5– 8.5; p< 0.001).Conclusion: Combined SWTRD and CO2-AFL treatment effectively modulates the scar formation after the incision is healed and resulting in preventing scar widening, leading to the improvement of scar appearance, reduction in wound pain and pruritus and its overall prognosis.Keywords: facial cutaneous lesions, pediatric patients, skin wound tension reduction device, fractional carbon dioxide laser, scar

Keywords

• facial cutaneous lesions
• pediatric patients
• skin wound tension reduction device
• fractional carbon dioxide laser
• scar