[The morphologic characteristics of scar tissues and the new clinicomorphologic classification of human skin scars]

The morphological study of 200 intraoperative biopsy specimens of skin scars of various etiology identified criteria for the differential diagnosis and mechanisms responsible for formation of 4 major types of scar tissues and their structural and functional varieties. In addition to the earlier known normotrophic, hypertrophic, and keloid scar tissues; the special type of scar tissue - the fibrously altered derma) was defined. Most skin scars were found to comprise a combination of a few of scar tissues and a relationship was established between the clinical type of a scar and its histological structure. The principles and mechanisms responsible for changes occurring in the structural composition of scars as the latter mature are described. The new scar clinicomorphological classification provides the basis for the pathogenetically substantiated choice of methods for the prevention and treatment of scars and for the prediction of recurrent scarring.

PMID: 18368800 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]