Pediatric burn-related scalp alopecia treated with tissue expansion and the incidence of associated facial burn injuries.

In the pediatric population, cutis aplasia, scalp avulsion, and burn injuries are the leading causes of scalp alopecia that is evaluated for reconstruction by plastic surgeons. Scalp alopecia is seen in 25% of children who suffer burn injuries of the head and neck. These injuries are rarely isolated to the scalp, and the adjacent structures are often affected. This may complicate reconstruction surgery and necessitate multiple reconstructive procedures. A retrospective chart was performed of all cases of staged scalp tissue-expansion cases performed for the reconstruction of burn-related scalp alopecia by the two senior authors at the Shriner's Hospital for Children of Boston between 2003 and 2007. In each case, the incidence and severity of burn-related deformities of the nose, eyebrows, and ears as seen in clinical photographs were documented. Between 2003 and 2007, 96 scalp tissue expanders were placed in 78 patients for the treatment of scalp alopecia. Of these patients, associated adjacent burn deformities were commonly found involving the ear, nose, and eyebrow. These injuries included ear deformity (46%), nasal deformity (27%), and eyebrow deformity (46%). In planning the surgical reconstruction for pediatric scalp alopecia, it is helpful to evaluate each patient for adjacent structure burn injuries requiring reconstruction. It is our belief that the stages of tissue expansion surgery can be combined with the reconstruction of associated burn injuries sometimes using the region of expected alopecia excision.