Brian Berman, MD, PhD expertly tackled the challenging topic of keloid treatment. During his presentation, he discussed novel therapeutic modalities aimed at reducing the notoriously high recurrence rate of this entity.
He reviewed evidence behind superficial radiation therapy following keloid excision and showcased his own experiences. He then discussed two small series which showed respective recurrence rates of 0% and 5% at 6 months following excision. Additionally, he detailed the use of ingenol mebutate on post-sternotomy keloids recalcitrant to surgery and corticosteroids.
Dr. Berman went on to discuss strategies for improving the appearance of post-surgical scars. Berman, an expert on this topic, discussed intralesional therapies such as triamcinolone and verapamil. He detailed a randomized trial utilizing both medications, which demonstrated a faster reduction rate with triamcinolone, with the caveat that this regimen caused more hypopigmentation than intralesional verapamil.
Finally, the session concluded with a discussion of the utility of silicone gels and hypochlorous acid for the treatment of post-surgical scars.