Treatment of facial angiofibroma of tuberous sclerosis using cultured epithelial autografts

Ann Plast Surg. 2006 Oct;57(4):415-7. doi: 10.1097/01.sap.0000221621.34715.21.

Abstract

Treatment of facial angiofibroma of tuberous sclerosis is problematic, because the skin lesions involve entire dermis. Five patients aged from 14 to 33 (mean: 23.6) years old with angiofibroma of tuberous sclerosis were treated with cultured epithelial autografts between 1995 and 2004. The entire area of the facial lesions was excised using a razor to remove large nodules, and then the remaining lesions were further abraded to a rather deep layer of the dermis to smooth the skin and remove small nodules. Then a cultured autologous epithelium was grafted onto the wound. In all patients, epithelization was complete within 10 (mean: 9) days after the surgery. All patients were followed up for more than 6 months and showed neither depigmentation due to scar formation nor hypertrophic scars. In some patients, some pebbly regrowth had occurred at 5 years postoperatively, but the appearance was quite acceptable.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Angiofibroma / etiology
  • Angiofibroma / surgery*
  • Epithelium / transplantation*
  • Facial Neoplasms / etiology
  • Facial Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Tissue Culture Techniques
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberous Sclerosis / complications*