الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Background: Hypertrophic scarring is a fibroproliferative disorder that can cause severe functional and cosmetic deformities, and unfortunately is still lacking a reliable treatment method. Fractional microneedling radiofrequency (FMR) is a novel radiofrequency technique that uses microneedles to deliver energy to the deep dermis without destruction of the epidermis. Intralesional corticosteroid (IL CS) injection is the first line of treatment of hypertrophic scars (HTSs), however pain and atrophy are common side effects. Microneedling (MN) therapy is a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure to create controlled skin injury and set up a wound healing cascade. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of FMR versus IL CS injection followed or not by MN in the treatment of HTSs and their implication on platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) tissue levels. Patients and methods: Thirty patients with HTSs were enrolled. Skin biopsies were taken prior to the sessions and one month after last session. In each session, one side of the scar was treated with FMR, and the other half was treated by IL CS injection alone or IL CS injection followed by MN, randomly chosen. Evaluation of response was done by clinical assessment, patient, and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) and biochemical measurement of tissue levels of both PDGF & CTGF by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at baseline and 1 month after last session. Results: Both therapeutic modalities yielded statistically significant improvement of HTSs and statistically significant decrease in POSAS, and tissue levels of PDGF and CTGF. By comparing both modalities, there was no statistical significance regarding clinical parameters, However, IL CS showed a more significant decrease in biochemical parameters |