Background: Keloids are benign skin lesions that gradually invade the surrounding normal tissue, and no treatment has proven curative. In our previous clinical practice of autologous cultured fibroblast transplantation, we found that fibroblast injection might have some effect on treating keloids, and we attempted to treat keloids by using fibroblast transplantation after obtaining the patient's approval.
Case report: 1 patient was treated from March 2017 to June 2018. Autologous skin fibroblasts were separated from postauricular skin biopsy or resected keloid. They were cultured and expanded with exclusive methods. Cells (3×107/ml) within four or five passages were injected intradermally at the keloid at one-month intervals, 15 times in the patient. Shrink of the keloid on the patient was observed. The keloid became softer, flatter, and lighter in color after treatment. The elasticity of the keloid was also increased. The treatment effect was associated with the number of treatment sessions.
Conclusions: This is the first report in which autologous fibroblast transplantation was used to treat keloids. Despite being only a single case experience, it suggests that keloid formation is a complex process in which still unknown factors may play a role.