Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Repelnig, M.
Comparison of four treatment options for the clinical improvement of hypertrophic scars
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Graz Medical University; 2017. pp.
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- Authors Med Uni Graz:
- Repelnig Maria-Lisa
- Advisor:
- Kopera Daisy
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Background: Hypertrophic scars may interfere with a patient´s self-esteem and often feature pruritus and pain, therefore they may also become an aesthetic issue. Since there are many options for the treatment of hypertrophic scars, patients have a variety to select from. Objective: The aim of this clinical trial is to point out which of the four treatment options, medical needling, fractional CO2 laser treatment, silicone sheets and silicone gel, is most effective as a primary endpoint and which one has the best cost/outcome/patient satisfaction ratio as a secondary endpoint. Methods: 100 female subjects aged 18 – 65 years, with hypertrophic scars after cesarean section will be recruited. Forty patients with scars older than one year, will be randomly assigned to group1 (fractional CO2-laser) and group2 (medical needling) and 60 patients with scars younger than one year old will be randomly assigned to group 3 (silicone gel roller), group 4 (silicone sheets) and group 5 (control group). Time from baseline to follow up is 24 weeks. In this time patients of group 1 and 2 receive 3 treatments and patients of group 3 and 4 will use topical treatment for 18 weeks. Improvement will be evaluated using the Vancouver scar Scale, POSAS, 3D-Photography, Best cost/outcome ration and a 5-stage scale for scar improvement. Results: Up to now, 4 patients completed the study. One patient was in group 1, two patients in group 2 and one patient in the control group. No patients of group 2 and 3 finished the study yet. The first patient treated with needling showed no difference in the score of the VSS, but an improvement of 38,5% in the score of the POSAS. The second patient treated with needling showed an improvement of 16,7% in the VSS and an improvement of 12,8% in the POSAS. The patient treated with fractional CO2 laser showed an improvement of the VSS of 9,1% and 7% of the POSAS. The score of the VSS of the patient in the control group stayed the same, whereas the score of the POSAS increased 16,8%. Conclusion: Although treatment with fractional CO2 laser and needling show promising results in this first part of the study, more patients are needed to receive significant results.