Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin
Published on: March 31, 2011
A rare case of aplasia cutis congenita
1Department of Pediatrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Fushun County, Sichuan Province, Fushun, 643200, China.
Insights
Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) newborns with scalp defects larger than 2 cm can benefit from conservative treatment. This approach, involving local disinfection and dressing changes, can be a primary choice for neonates without skull defects.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal dermatology
- Pediatric surgery
- Clinical case study
Background:
- Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a rare congenital skin defect.
- Standard treatment guidelines vary based on defect size and skull involvement.
Observation:
- A newborn with ACC presented with a scalp defect exceeding 2 cm.
- The infant's clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for diagnostic and therapeutic insights.
Findings:
- Conservative management, including local disinfection and regular dressing changes, promoted epithelial regeneration.
- Despite the defect size (>2 cm), conservative treatment yielded significant positive outcomes.
- This challenges the conventional 2 cm diameter threshold for conservative care in ACC.
Implications:
- Conservative treatment may be considered a viable first-line option for ACC neonates, even with larger scalp defects, if the skull remains intact.
- Surgical interventions like skin grafting or cranioplasty remain options for severe cases or when conservative methods are insufficient.
- Further research is warranted to refine treatment protocols for ACC based on defect characteristics and patient outcomes.
Abstract:
In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a newborn with aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) to provide insights for diagnosing and treating the disease. It is believed that ACC with an intact skull and a skin defect diameter of less than 2 cm can be treated conservatively. The main strategies include local disinfection and regular dressing changes to promote epithelial regeneration. The lesion can heal over weeks or months through epithelization adjacent to the defect tissue, resulting in a healed contracture scar with a smooth, hairless surface that can be surgically removed later. For children with large scalp defects or skull defects, skin transplantation, free flap, and cranioplasty can be performed to repair the wound and restore the tissue structure. It is worth mentioning that although this child had a scalp defect larger than 2 cm, conservative treatment still had a significant effect. This suggests that conservative treatment can be considered as the first choice for ACC neonates without skull defects, and surgical treatment can be considered when necessary.
More Related Videos
07:50A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts
Published on: September 20, 2018
10:27Recognition of Epidermal Transglutaminase by IgA and Tissue Transglutaminase 2 Antibodies in a Rare Case of Rhesus Dermatitis
Published on: December 15, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Skin Diseases and Disorders
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Papillary Dermis
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
Papillary Layer
The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen...
Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins