Postoperative electron beam irradiation therapy for keloid:a follow-up study of 48 patients / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effectiveness of postoperative electron beam irradiation therapy for keloid.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight patients with 65 keloid sites were treated by surgical removal and postoperative 25 Gy electron beam irradiation from 1994 to 2002 and followed for over eighteen months. Statistical analysis was performed and therapeutic outcome was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall recurrence rate was 26%. Higher post-treatment recurrence rates were noted with keloid forming at infected sites and in patients with family history (47.8% and 53.3%) (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, patient age, sex, keloid size and location had no increased likehood of recurrence rate.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study shows that postoperative electron beam irradiation therapy is a kind of safe and effective method in inhibiting recurrence of keloid formation and eradicating it.</p>