Reepithelialization from Stem Cells of Hair Follicles of Dermal Graft of the Scalp in Acute Treatment of Third-Degree Burns

Abstract

Sir:FigureWe read the recent interesting article “Reepithelialization from Stem Cells of Hair Follicles of Dermal Graft of the Scalp in Acute Treatment of Third-Degree Burns: First Clinical and Histologic Study,” by Zakine et al.1 We congratulate the authors for their study. However, some factual issues merit a response. The statement by the authors that “dermal autografts have never been used in burn treatment” is not true. In our study, “Application of Split-Thickness Dermal Grafts in Deep Partial- and Full-Thickness Burns: A New Source of Auto-Skin Grafting,”2 we successfully used dermal grafts in a series of burn patients. The fact that their study is not the only one applying the dermal grafts in burns probably escaped the authors' notice. Also, the statement “The dermal graft presented in our clinical experience is not conceivable on localizations other than the scalp.” Is this statement only an assumption, or have the authors had bad experience with dermal graft donor-site healing problems besides the scalp? We successfully harvested 11 dermal grafts from the thigh region without any donor-site healing problems. Thus, providing information in this way may mislead the readers of this article against dermal graft harvesting in regions other than the scalp. In the “Surgical Technique” section, the thickness of the grafts was 0.2 mm, each corresponding to 0.008 inch. However, in the “Histologic Results” section, it was 0.02 mm. In our opinion, this is a typing error. To prevent confusion for readers, we request that the numbers should be corrected. Atilla Coruh, M.D. Yalcin Yontar, M.D. Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Kayseri, Turkey DISCLOSURE The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this communication.