Long-term outcome of intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of keloid scars in Asian patients

Abstract

We studied the long-term outcome of injection of triamcinolone acetonide into keloid scars in Asian patients. Between 1985 and 2003, we treated 109 keloid scars in 94 patients by injecting 1 to 10?mg of triamcinolone acetonide depending on the size of the lesion at four week intervals. There was little morbidity. Thirty-one patients gave up treatment within 10 injections because of pain and lack of immediate improvement. Improvement in subjective symptoms was seen in 52 of the remaining 63 patients (82%). In objective symptoms, fair or better results were seen in 40 of 63 (63%), and good or better results in 25 of 63 (39%). The treatment method required 20-30 injections over three to five years. Although we did not achieve as good results as other authors, we think it was safer because we used a smaller dose of a steroid.

Long-Term Results of Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections in Keloid Treatment

“…In our study, the overall remission rate (65%) was somewhat lower than in previous studies. Muneuchi et al also reported less favorable results than the previous studies; there was improvement in subjective symptoms in 82% of patients, but objectively the results were good or better in only 39% of the cases [30].…”

“…Muneuchi et al used 20-30 injections over 3-5 years, but reported only few local side effects. The concentration of TAC and the injection technique reported in their study did not differ from the technique generally used by professionals treating keloids [30].…”

“…Muneuchi et al, Sadheginia et al, and Davidsonet al did not report systemic complications or local adverse effects which needed further treatment [30,33,34]. We recorded 5 patients, who were operated on due to local side effects from TAC injections, but no systemic side effects in our follow-up.…”

“…According to several publications, intralesional TAC treatment is a standard first-line treatment modality in keloid scars [18,19,30,31]. It has also been the most common treatment option in our hospital.…”

Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection in hypertrophic skin surrounding the percutaneous titanium implant of a bone-anchored hearing aid

“…12,13 In the majority of patients, multiple intralesional injections are needed to obtain the desired clinical effect, i.e. flattening of the lesion and cessation of itching.…”