Your Questions

Q: Would Acell Matrsitem be helpful in forehead reshaping to minimize the scalp scar in the hairline? I have a crooked forehead as a result of the way I slept as a child and I know surgeons are generally reluctant to perform this procedure in maklkes due to the scalp scar in the hairline showing as it recedes.

Also, I was wondering of you have ever heard of or used Resobone (custom fit degradable implants to correct bone defects and what are your thoughts on this technology?

A: I think when it comes to optimizing a scalp scar in any patient, but particularly a male, anything that may help would be useful. In that regard, Acell Matristem may provide some healing advantage and it is certainly easy to apply into the wound during closure. While it is not magical and can not make it heal without any scar, anything benefit it can provide to making the scar as narrow and inconspicuous as possible is a bonus.

Resobone is a mixture of two resorbable materials, poly-lactic acid polymers and tricalcium phosphatre. Its intent is to act as a matrix to encourage bone to heal a defect. For bone reconstruction of bone defects, it is an option although I do not see a big advantage over many of the hydroxyapatite cements that exist today or even a computer-generated custom HTR-PMI implant. It does have one disadvantage and that is it is resorbable, so if bone doesn’t replace it the reconstruction will be gone. It should not be used, however, as an onlay or building up material. Since bone will never grow into and replace that of an onlayed resorbable scaffold no matter what its composition. If your thoughts are to use Resobone as a forehead cranioplasty implant it will eventually resorb away and be left with very little if any augmented result.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana