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Surgery and Radiation Therapy for Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars

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Total Scar Management

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Abstract

Over the past 10 years, our understanding of the pathogenesis of pathological scars, including keloids and hypertrophic scars, has increased markedly. Consequently, keloids and hypertrophic scars are now regarded as treatable diseases. However, the available therapeutic approaches still require improvement. Surgery and radiation therapy should play more prominent roles in current therapeutic strategies for pathological scars. Due to fear of recurrence after keloid resection (which often led to even worse scars), plastic surgeons and dermatologists have been fearful about actively treating keloids. However, there is substantial evidence now that surgery followed by radiation therapy can successfully manage keloids and hypertrophic scars with low levels of recurrence. The development of a standard international algorithm for treating pathological scars on the basis of this evidence is warranted. This chapter discusses the reasons for this. Optimal surgical and radiotherapy treatment protocols and the possible side effects of radiotherapy are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan

    Rei Ogawa

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  1. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan

    Rei Ogawa

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Ogawa, R. (2020). Surgery and Radiation Therapy for Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars. In: Ogawa, R. (eds) Total Scar Management. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9791-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9791-3_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-32-9790-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-32-9791-3

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