Korean J Dermatol.  1998 Oct;36(5):765-771.

Effect of Cryosurgery on Hypertrophic Scars / Keloids

• Park SJ
• Min HG
• Lee HG
• Kim JM
• Lee ES
• Kang HJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A variety of therapeutic regimens has been used in the treatment of hypertrophic scars/keloids with onsatisfactory final results. Application of cryosurgery could be beneficial sinee it was reported to produce less scarring and recurrence after treatment compared with other methods. Objective This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of the cryosurgery through objective, quantitative measurement of hypertrophic scar/keloid thickness and to assess the influence of the cryosurgery on fibroblasts. The latter was achieved through fibroblast cultures established from hypertrophic scars/keloids.
METHODS
Eight patients, ageA 17 to 47 years old, with hypertrophic scars/keloids were treated with liquid nitrogen using the cantact method. One freeze-thaw cycle of 10-30 seconds per lesion was employed, and if needed, treatment was repeated every 20 to 40 days. The thicknesses of the lesions were measured objective,ly with ultrasound in five patients, before and after cryosurgery and were compared with controlled scars in other areas. In three patients, we cultured fibroblasts from the treated and the untreated lesions and exmuned the rate of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production.
RESULTS
In all five patients, thicknesses of the hypertrophic scars/keloids decreased compared to those of controlled areas after treatment. Five of 6 hypertrophic scar cell lines demonsbated decreased fibroblast proliferation rates in comparison to control fibroblast lines. Collagen produced by the fibroblasts was variable.
CONCLUSION
Cyosurgery was effective and safe in the treatment of hypertrophic scars/keloids.

MeSH Terms

Cell Line
Cicatrix
Cicatrix, Hypertrophic*
Collagen
Cryosurgery*
Fibroblasts
Humans
Keloid*
Middle Aged
Nitrogen
Recurrence
Ultrasonography
Collagen
Nitrogen