Cosmetic Surgery Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cosmetic Surgery, including details on microsurgery, reconstruction, techniques, risks.

Autologous epidermal cells can induce wound closure of neurotrophic ulceration caused by trigeminal trophic syndrome.

Schwerdtner O, Damaskos T, Kage A, Weitzel-Kage D, Klein M

Department for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Surgical Robotics and Navigation, Campus Virchow Clinic, Charité, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. oliver.schwerdtner@charite.de

Trigeminal trophic syndrome is an extremely rare complication following surgical ablation of the trigeminal nerve or after alcohol injection or thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion. These lesions show a poor healing tendency and sometimes persist for years. The therapeutic results of local wound care with ointments and wound dressings are often unsatisfactory, and those of plastic surgery are variable. In the case presented, the skin area affected by neurotrophic ulceration is successfully treated with autologous cultivated epidermal cells. This form of tissue engineering is already a clinically established procedure for treating burns and chronic wounds. The results show for the first time that transplantation of in vitro cultivated epidermal cells can induce tissue regeneration and may be an effective tool in the treatment of neurotrophic ulcerations in the facial region.

Published 1 August 2005 in Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 34(4): 443-5.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Cosmetic Surgery Research Today. All Rights Reserved.