title: Promising results from a pilot study on compression treatment of ear keloids.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ear keloids continue to be a therapeutic challenge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical success of a modified "oyster splint technique."
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with an ear keloid agreed to receive the compression therapy. After surgical removal, a compressive device made of acrylic resin was applied on top of a silicone gel sheet and patients were asked to wear the splint 23 hours a day for at least 8 months. If the scar showed a tendency to grow, corticosteroids were injected intralesionally. In addition to recurrence rate, other parameters and wearing times were obtained by an interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of 10 patients experienced a recurrence in a mean follow-up period of 18.2 months (range 4-44 months). The daily wearing time of the compression splint was critical for the success of the treatment (p = .022). The splint had to be worn at least 10 hours a day for a minimum of 8 months to prevent recurrence. However, the need for additional intralesional steroid injections was significantly lower in patients wearing the splint for more than 20 hours per day (p = .048). The splint treatment was painless for 80% of patients. The therapeutic result was given a median mark of 1.75 (1 =   best, 6 = worst).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it requires considerable time and effort, the technique seems to be a promising therapy.
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. jessica.hassel@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hassel
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löser
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koenen
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kreuter
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hassel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013165:Splints; D016896:Treatment Outcome