Effectiveness of onion extract gel on surgical scars in asians.

Background. Onion extracts have been shown in vitro to accelerate wound healing. Results from clinical studies on surgical scars in Caucasians were disappointing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of onion extract gel in improving the cosmetic and symptoms of surgical scars in Asians. Patients/Methods. Twenty Asians who had new Pfannenstiel's cesarean section scars were recruited in this prospective double-blinded, split-scar study. Each side was randomly assigned treatment with onion extract gel or placebo at 7 days after surgery. The product was applied three times daily for 12 weeks. Subjects were evaluated at baseline and 4th and 12th weeks. Scar redness was assessed by calorimeter, scar height and pliability were assessed by blinded investigators, and scar symptoms and overall cosmetic improvement were assessed by subjects. Results. Sixteen subjects completed the study. A statistically significant difference between two sides of scar in terms of scar height and scar symptoms was found. There was no statistically significant difference in scar redness, scar pliability, and overall cosmetic appearance between two sides. Conclusions. The early use of topical 12% onion extract gel on Pfannenstiel's cesarean section scar in Asians resulted in the improvement of scar height and scar symptoms.

Six-year retrospective review of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a rare, severe adverse drug reaction. The aim of this study was to characterize the aetiology, clinical features, laboratory findings, and management of patients with DRESS, diagnosed from January 2005 to April 2010 in a tertiary centre in Thailand. Twenty-seven patients were included in the study with a mean age of 52 years. Phenytoin, allopurinol, and nevirapine were the most commonly implicated medications. Mean duration of drug administration before the onset of symptoms was 34 days. The latent period was longer for allopurinol (103 days) and shorter for nevirapine (10 days). Skin rash was seen in all patients, while fever and lymphadenopathy were found in 88.9% and 22.2%, respectively. Hepatic and haematological involvement were the two most common systemic complications, occurring in 96.3% and 85.2%, respectively. Most patients were treated with systemic corticosteroids, for a mean duration of 49 days. The mortality rate in this study was 3.7%. Early detection and discontinuation of the suspected drug are the key steps of management.

Cutaneous Mycobacterium abscessus Infection Associated with Mesotherapy Injection.

Non-tuberculous mycobacterial skin infections have an increasing incidence. In immunocompetent patients, they usually follow local trauma. We present a case of cutaneous Mycobacterium abscessus infection following mesotherapy. The lesions were successfully treated with a combination of clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and doxycycline. Atypical mycobacterial infection should be suspected in patients who develop late-onset skin and soft tissue infection after cutaneous injury, injection, and surgical intervention, particularly if they do not respond to conventional antibiotic treatment.