Surgical treatment of keloids: Total or partial resection?

Introduction: Currently, the application of intralesional triamcinolone with surgical excision is considered the most satisfactory treatment for keloids, with a low recurrence rate. Method: A case study was carried out covering reconstructive surgeries for patients with bilateral earlobe keloids, operated by the same plastic surgeon from July 2018 to January 2021 at the Hospital Regional de Sobradinho in Brasília-DF. The keloid scar (intralesional) was partially resected, leaving keloid margins in the surgical wound, and compared with the response after total resection (juxtalesional) of another scar in the same patient. Triamcinolone was applied preoperatively, with a total of 4 applications at intervals of 4 weeks between each session and in the immediate postoperative period, maintaining application every 30 days for 6 months. No patient had undergone previous treatments for keloids. Scars were evaluated postoperatively by the primary surgeon over a period of 12 months. Results: Four of 11 patients had some type of recurrence, totaling 36% of recurrence in our study. Total excision of the keloid (left ear) had more recurrences than the contralateral side where a 1mm margin of keloid was left in the scar (right ear). Conclusion: In the present study, we observed that when associated with treatment with triamcinolone pre-, intra-, and postoperatively, partial excision of the keloid presented lower rates of local recurrence when compared to total excision of the keloid.