[The treatment of cicatricial alopecia after burn with the technique of synchronously perforating and transplanting hair follicular-units].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of the technique of synchronously perforating and transplanting hair follicular-units in the treatment of cicatricial alopecia after burn.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-six patients with 217 bald scar areas after burn were treated with above-mentioned technique from January 2002 to April 2008. Scalp strips, with conforming the necessity for grafting, were harvested from the occipital or temporal region. A series of follicular-units, each composing 1 - 3 hairs, were dissected from the strips under microscope or magnifying glass. Size-matching micro-slots were made in the scarred recipient area with 16 - 20 G needles to accept the grafts. The prepared follicular-unit was synchronously implanted into the bottom of the micro-slot as the needle being withdrawn. Patients who were not satisfactory with the density of hairs after I stage surgery underwent II stage surgery a half year later. Ten recipient areas with clear boundary in 10 patients were optionally chosen to observe the density of follicular-units and hair amount with naked eyes after I stage surgery. Survived transplanted hairs in above-mentioned 10 areas were counted to calculate hair survival rate at follow-up. Patients' postoperative satisfaction ratings were surveyed with questionnaire.


RESULTS
In one half of the patients, treatment was finished after I stage surgery, the other one half received 2 stages of surgery. The follicular-unit density reached 15 - 25 grafts/cm(2) with 40 - 70 hairs/cm(2) after I stage surgery. All patients were followed up for over 8 months. Grafted hairs grew well in a natural way. 96.5% mean hair survival rate was observed in the 10 recipient areas. From patients who received only I stage surgery, 61 patients (73.5%) were very satisfactory and 22 patients (26.5%) satisfactory with the results. From the other half of patients, 76 patients (91.6%) were very satisfactory and 7 patients (8.4%) satisfactory with the results.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique of perforating and transplanting follicular-unit hair synchronously is safe and effective with less surgery-induced injury and less bleeding. Hairs transplanted on cicatricial alopecia area with this technique grow well with high survival rate.
Wang
Ji-ping
JP
Burns Institute, the First Hospital Affiliated to the PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China.
Fan
Jin-cai
JC
Chai
Jia-ke
JK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult