title: Treatment of traumatic scars using fat grafts mixed with platelet-rich plasma, and resurfacing of skin with the 1540 nm nonablative laser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many treatments have been proposed for cosmetic or functional improvement of scars. It is known that fat grafts and laser treatment can have beneficial effects on remodelling of scar tissue, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can be effective during the wound-healing process. We hypothesized that these combined treatments would be effective in improving traumatic scars, with minimal recovery time and few side-effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the efficacy of three procedures for the treatment of traumatic scars.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated 60 patients affected by traumatic scars involving different body parts. All patients were randomly allocated to one of three groups (20 patients per group) and underwent one of three different procedures. Group A was treated with fat grafts mixed with PRP, group B was treated with nonablative laser, and group C was treated with both procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of the groups showed that PRP produced a significant difference in these treatments. The most effective scar treatment was the combination of fat grafts mixed with PRP plus nonablative laser resurfacing (group C). This treatment resulted in group C having an increase of 22% in wound healing compared with group A, and an increase of 11% compared with group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data confirm the efficacy of all three treatments, with the most effective scar treatment being the fat grafts mixed with PRP, followed by skin resurfacing with nonablative laser. This combined treatment appeared to be safe and effective for scar treatment. Further studies are needed to explore the potential use of this combined treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Policlinico Casilino, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cervelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spallone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verardi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balzani
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000637:transplantation*; D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult