Keloid Formation Following Surgical Treatment of Multiple Hereditary Exostoses

Researchers: John P. Dormans, MD, Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Harish Hosalkar, MD, Orthopaedic Fellow, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Jared Greenberg, BA, Medical Student at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; and Susmeet Garg, BA, Medical Student at Harvard Medical School.  Purpose of Study: When it was noted that keloids were forming at the surgical incisions of many post-op children with MHE at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a small-scale study was done to compare the rate of keloid formation in children with surgery for MHE, compared to children who had surgery for solitary osteochondromas. Results of the study indicated a statistically significant association between MHE patients and wound healing problems, particularly keloid formation, following exostoses excision, and demonstrate the need for further research.   According to the authors of this study, it is important that MHE patients be aware of the risk of keloid formation following surgery.  It is possible that future research may open up avenues of preventing these keloids from forming in scars of MHE patients and also help in their management.  Request for MHE Coalition Participation: In order to expand the number of MHE patients studied, we were asked to have our members fill out a basic questionnaire and to take photos of scars.  These will then be submitted to the research team with all personal identifying information deleted.   That request for participation appeared in our last newsletter and is also available on our web site.  While we did receive some responses, more participants are needed. Why we feel this study is important: Many of the members of The MHE Coalition have also noticed the problems in post-surgical healing noted by the research team at CHOP.  This issue has been a topic of conversation in the email support group, and we have heard from other members with significant scarring problems.  As the researchers have suggested, if it can be established that MHE patients are at a high risk for keloid scarring, there are steps that surgeons may be able to take to minimize those risks.  The CHOP study also proposes a need for further study on a scientific as well as clinical basis, to determine the actual causes of abnormal scarring in MHE patients. What you can do to help:  Fill out the questionnaire, which is available on our web site or by mail, upon request, and complete and return to Sarah with photos of scars.  Identifying information is removed from the form and your questionnaire is submitted under an ID number.  As always, all personal information is held in strictest confidence.

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If you are interested in participating in any of these studies or have any questions about them, please contact Sarah Ziegler, National Director and Coordinator of Research, The MHE Coalition, 149-34 16th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357, or at dinosarah@prodigy.net,  Telephone: 718-747-1701, or cell phone: 917-841-2217.