title: Quantification of the physical properties of keloid and hypertrophic scars using the Vesmeter novel sensing device.
abstract: There is still no objective method or reliable device to measure and assess the physical properties of keloid and hypertrophic scars. Using the Vesmeter, we measured the physical properties of keloid and hypertrophic scars, and investigated how their physical properties changed during the process of clinical follow-up. We followed up 11 patients with keloid (n = 6) and hypertrophic (n = 5) scars for 4 months, and measured their physical properties three times over a 2-month period using the Vesmeter. Measurements included hardness, elasticity, penetration depth, relaxation time, viscosity and viscoelastic ratio. All physical properties were measured simultaneously while an indenter was pressed onto the lesion and digitalise the measured data by analysing the wave forms of the lesion's surface behaviour. Data collection was repeated three times for each measurement point, and the average of these three values was used. Overall hardness and viscosity decreased in nine patients, whereas penetration depth increased in nine. Relaxation time decreased in nine patients and elasticity increased in six. Vesmeter was considered to be an objective, convenient and comparatively reliable measuring device for the quantification of the physical properties of keloid and hypertrophic scars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Ahmatjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niyaz
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Katsueki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tetsukazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.forename: Takayasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsusawa
mesh_terms: D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D004548:Elasticity; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007627:Keloid; D014783:Viscosity