A short course postoperative radiotherapy regime for keloid scars in Nigeria

Abstract

The unsatisfactory high rate of recurrence following the traditional approach for the radiotherapy of keloid scars in Nigeria, led to the design of this study which employed a short course post operative radiotherapy regime. Two hundred and forty four patients with four hundred and fifty four (454) keloidal scars treated with superficial X-ray therapy within 72 hours following surgical excision at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos, Nigeria, between January, 1984 and December, 1988 were analyzed. The commonest site treated was the ear lobe (36.8%). Radiation dose ranged between 5-6Gy in single sessions and 12-15Gy in 3 fractions over 5 days. A complete response rate of 93% at 24 months was achieved. The treatment was well tolerated with no serious complications reported to date.