A surgical approach for stable lesions of linear scleroderma

Diagnosing and Managing Linear Scleroderma in a Low-Resource Setting

Background

Linear scleroderma is one of the five forms of scleroderma, but it is the most common form of localized scleroderma in childhood. If left untreated, it can lead to severe disfigurement and functional impairment. The typical appearance is a linear streak with cutaneous induration on the face or head in association with various ophthalmological and neurological signs and symptoms. Treatment typically includes corticosteroids and/or methotrexate with life-long monitoring for recurrence. Case Presentation. A 12-year-old girl presented to our clinic in northern rural Cambodia with a history of a linear streak on her forehead that was growing down her nasal bridge. She denied any tenderness or family history of rheumatic disease. Her history was significant for strabismus as a child. A visiting pediatric rheumatologist assisted us with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Conclusion

In our case report, we present a child with linear scleroderma who fortunately came to medical attention early and received appropriate treatment before the onset of complications. She was treated with systemic immunosuppression as well as topical steroids. After treatment, she had no further progression on her face and continued to follow up with us to monitor for disease activity. To summarize, linear scleroderma is an uncommon diagnosis for general pediatricians and should be recognized early to provide appropriate treatment and follow-up.

Adipose Tissue Grafting for the Treatment of Morphea En Coup De Sabre: A Simple Filler or an Emerging Cellular Therapy?

Linear scleroderma en coup de sabre is a rare chronic autoimmune disease. This form of localized scleroderma manifests through an inflammatory phenomenon of collagen overproduction and extracellular matrix destruction, affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the face. This active pathological process is challenging to control and often goes unnoticed at its early stage. The sequelae manifest as an alopecic frontal scar lesion, causing the patient significant aesthetic and psychological damage. In this study, we report two clinical cases in which aesthetic sequelae were treated by autologous fat transplantation. We found encouraging results, with a global aesthetic improvement of 86.2% measured by a jury of medical specialists and outcome stability through a nine-year follow-up for one patient. Autologous fat transfer is excellent for treating stabilized en coup de sabre morphea, not only for its filling abilities but also for its regeneration activating and inflammation regulating abilities, which could open new prospects for curative treatment of this pathology.

A case report of coup de sabre patient with hair transplantation

BACKGROUND

Treatment of coup de sabre must remain conservative until the disease is no longer in an active state. When activity has ceased, some operative intervention is safe and effective for the correction of deformity. While hair transplantation showed high survival rates for the correction of cicatricial alopecia, it has rarely reported to be performed for the correction of coup de sabre.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the therapeutic possibility of hair transplantation for the correction of coup de sabre.

METHODS

Follicular units consisting of two to three hairs from the patient's occipital scalp were transplanted and followed-up for 12 months.

RESULTS

After 12 months of follow-up, treatment outcomes showed an 86.7% survival rate and 12-16 cm (mean 14 cm) length of the transplanted hairs.

CONCLUSION

When coup de sabre is no longer in an active state, hair transplantation is a useful method for cosmetic improvement of the alopecia.