Acne Scars

Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2008 Nov-Dec; 74(6): 926-32Campagnolo AM, Tsuji DH, Sennes LU, Imamura RSteroids are potent inhibitors of inflammation and wound repair. Local administration of steroids directly into the larynx has been reported in many laryngeal diseases. AIM: The purpose of this study is to review related literature about the use of steroid injection in patients with benign, inflammatory and chronic vocal disease. METHODOLOGY: We performed an electronic survey in Medline database and selected clinical trials regarding steroid use in benign laryngeal diseases. RESULTS: Steroids are indicated in these situations: 1) acute inflammatory diseases, mainly when edema compromises the airways; 2) auto- immune disease with laryngeal involvement; 3) laryngeal stenosis; 4) benign lesions of the vocal folds, e.g., nodules, polyps and Reinke's edema, to reduce the inflammatory reactions before phonosurgery or in an attempt to avoid surgery; 5) In phonosurgery, aiming to reduce scarring. In this case, it could be used as a preventive measure in vocal fold scarring, or for scar treatment. CONCLUSION: Steroids may be considered an important therapeutic option in the management of many diseases, specially the inflammatory ones, associated with vocal changes.

Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2008 Nov-Dec; 74(6): 926-32Campagnolo AM, Tsuji DH, Sennes LU, Imamura RSteroids are potent inhibitors of inflammation and wound repair. Local administration of steroids directly into the larynx has been reported in many laryngeal diseases. AIM: The purpose of this study is to review related literature about the use of steroid injection in patients with benign, inflammatory and chronic vocal disease. METHODOLOGY: We performed an electronic survey in Medline database and selected clinical trials regarding steroid use in benign laryngeal diseases. RESULTS: Steroids are indicated in these situations: 1) acute inflammatory diseases, mainly when edema compromises the airways; 2) auto- immune disease with laryngeal involvement; 3) laryngeal stenosis; 4) benign lesions of the vocal folds, e.g., nodules, polyps and Reinke's edema, to reduce the inflammatory reactions before phonosurgery or in an attempt to avoid surgery; 5) In phonosurgery, aiming to reduce scarring. In this case, it could be used as a preventive measure in vocal fold scarring, or for scar treatment. CONCLUSION: Steroids may be considered an important therapeutic option in the management of many diseases, specially the inflammatory ones, associated with vocal changes.

Tech Coloproctol. 2009 Jul 14; Ekçi B, Gökçe OBACKGROUND: Failures of flap rotation, flap necrosis, recurrence of the disease, maceration at the incisional line and insufficient or late healing of flap corners which can be associated with ischemia appear to be the main problems associated with the closing techniques during the surgical treatment of this disease. We describe a simple, effective and incision protective repair method for excision of the pilonidal cyst. METHODS: Data from 17 (12 males and 5 females) consecutive patients who had elective surgery for chronic pilonidal sinus disease with wide excision of all the sinuses and a new flap technique closure with adipo-fascio-cutaneous flaps which was used in our series for the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Satisfactory results were achieved with this flap rotation technique in 17 patients. There were no flap rotation failures, flap necrosis, disease recurrence, incisional line maceration, or delayed wound healing. CONCLUSION: As a result, presented technique provides avoidance of flap necrosis, maceration on the incision and insufficient or late healing of the flap. We describe a technique which has a minimal amount of scar across the midline natal cleft and fewer flap corners resulting in a lower chance of margin necrosis.

Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2009 Aug; 18(8): 1231-9Occleston NL, Fairlamb D, Hutchison J, O'Kane S, Ferguson MWDisfiguring scarring in the skin is an area of high medical need. Current treatments for scarring have variable or limited effectiveness and have typically not been evaluated in randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trials. The prophylactic improvement in scar appearance, through administration of agents around the time of injury, represents a new therapeutic approach for which there are currently no registered pharmaceuticals. Extensive research into the mechanisms of scar-free and scar-forming healing has provided a robust scientific rationale for the development of avotermin (human recombinant TGF-beta3) as a potential therapeutic for the improvement of scar appearance in humans. The pioneering approach used for the clinical development of avotermin in this new indication has explained the efficacy and safety profile of avotermin in several, prospectively randomized, double-blind clinical studies in human volunteers and patients. These studies, which show a clear translation from preclinical efficacy models to the clinical environment, have shown that prophylactic scar improvement is pharmaceutically achievable. It is anticipated that therapeutics such as avotermin, with a sound mechanistic basis and proof of effectiveness in suitably robust clinical trials, will be available to meet the needs of patients in the foreseeable future.