title: The Bowen double-bladed scalpel for the reconstruction of scars.
abstract: The Bowen double-bladed scalpel is used to excise previous scars. The two parallel blades cut simultaneously, ensuring that the wound edges will fit together perfectly despite any deviations resulting from hand movements or difficulties in excising the scar. The two apexes of the wound are then fashioned with a single blade. The benefits of this instrument include complete excision of the scar in a neat and precise fashion, resulting in minimal tissue loss and improved healing because of the fresh skin edges. The final cosmetic result is superior to that from the conventional method of excising the scar freehand, which requires two strokes of the single blade, is technically more difficult, and is more prone to human error. The results were excellent following the use of this instrument to excise scars in 25 unselected women with cesarean scars and in two with midline laparotomy scars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Charnock
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D013525:Surgical Instruments