title: Bovine Collagen Xenograft Repair of Extensive Surgical Scalp Wounds With Exposed Calvarium in the Elderly: Increased Rates of Wound Healing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postsurgical scalp wounds that extend to the calvarium present a challenge for repair, especially in the elderly patient with multiple comorbidites. When second-intention healing is selected for closure, patients often have prolonged healing times.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical outcomes of animal-derived collagen xenograft placement on postsurgical scalp wounds extending to the calvarium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients (ages, 61 through 95 years) with calvarium-exposed wounds treated solely with bovine-derived collagen xenografts were reviewed with follow-up extending 12 to 30 weeks after initial surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased rates of healing were found in the xenograft-treated wounds as compared with previous studies of calvarium-exposed wounds healed by second intention alone. Advantages of animal-derived collagen xenografts include immediate coverage of the wound, simple application, low cost, and avoidance of the morbidity associated with local flap, graft, and free flap repairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with postsurgical scalp defects with exposed calvarium, collagen xenograft placement may expedite second-intention healing and offer other advantages in the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; †Division of Mohs Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, New York; ‡Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; §Mohs Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology Service, Department of Dermatology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri; Departments of ‖Ophthalmology, ¶Internal Medicine, and #Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri; **Cancer Center, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Megan N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Rogge
authors.forename: Jordan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Slutsky
authors.forename: M Laurin
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Council
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Fosko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D064593:Heterografts; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015580:Mohs Surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012535:Scalp / Q000601:surgery*; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003094:Collagen