title: Large defects in aplasia cutis congenita treated by large-sized thin split-thickness skin grafting: long-term follow-up of 18 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term results of using surgical large-sized thin split-thickness skin grafting to treat aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) in neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 18 ACC neonates with large skin defects who underwent large-sized thin split-thickness skin grafting at our hospital from March 2002 to November 2011. The size of the lesion was >10% of the total body surface area (TBSA) in 16 patients, 7% of TBSA in one patient, and 3% of TBSA in another patient. The size of the skin graft was designed to be equal to or slightly larger than the size of the lesion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin grafts in 16 patients who were followed for periods of 6 months-7 years after surgery showed good survival; however, two patients were lost to follow-up. The wound healed completely without scarring in five patients. One of the five patients who healed without scarring had failed previous conservative treatment. Several mild hypertrophic scars occurred in one patient, and flat, thin, shiny, soft, parchment-like scars were noted in five other patients. Dark red, hard, raised hypertrophic scars occurred in five patients who had partial necrosis in the skin graft after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large-sized thin split-thickness skin graft can be used to effectively close a wound and permit healing to occur with reduced long-term scarring. This procedure is ideal for treating skin defects in patients with ACC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yuexian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xingang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing (CSTC2009CA5002), Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Tianwu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D004476:Ectodermal Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors