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NEW YORK, Mar 07 (Reuters Health) - Plastic surgeons have developed a technique to remove large pigmented birthmarks in children, according to a report published in the March issue of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Dr. Bruce S. Bauer and colleagues from Northwestern University and Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, are using a method called tissue expansion to help cover over the areas from which large birthmarks are removed. So far the group has performed the procedure on more than 25 children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old.
Typically, the birthmarks are spread over a significant portion of the forehead and, aside from being disfiguring, they carry with them an additional risk, Bauer noted in an interview with Reuters Health.
"The main health concern with giant pigmented birthmarks is the possibility of them becoming cancerous later in life," he said.
Tissue expansion involves the use of a small balloon that is placed under the skin and, over time, is slowly filled with a sterile solution. In their report, Bauer and colleagues describe their technique, which entails placing the balloon under the skin directly next to the birthmark.
"In pregnancy, as the baby grows, the skin in the belly region stretches and grows--the same thing happens to the skin when the balloon is expanded," Bauer explained.
The tissue expansion technique has been around since the 1970s and is often used in breast reconstruction surgery, Bauer noted. The technique can be used on any part of the body to remove birthmarks as well.
Regions of the head and face are particularly tricky because of hairlines and eyebrows, which doctors like to keep intact. It is also important to put the scars in the least unsightly areas, Bauer pointed out.
The technique has proven to be better than skin grafts mainly because the newer technique allows for a better match of the skin type for the head and face. These areas, Bauer said, tend to have a slightly different texture and color compared to other regions of the body.
"Years ago when skin grafts were done on the face or forehead, there would be a noticeable patch," he added.
SOURCE: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2001;107:668-675.
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