In childhood cancer survivors, for unknown reasons, disfiguring and extremely wide scars are observed after Implantable central venous access device (ICVAD) removal.
Conditions
Interventions
The application of a silicone gel sheet to optimize wound healing after removal of the ICVAD, and to reduce the size of the scar.
Sponsors
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Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Children who are in follow-up for cancer treatment, and have an ICVAD, which is planned to be removed, are eligible for the study; 2. The children should be between one and eighteen years old.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Children are excluded for the study when they had an ICVAD on an other location than the chest wall, when the ICVAD was removed because of an infection, or when the child received radiotherapy on the chest. This latter criterion is because of the damage to the skin during radiotherapy.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Outcome variables regarding scar aspect: 1. Width in millimeters; 2. Length in millimeters; 3. Height (normal, 1-2 mm, 3-4 mm, 5-6 mm, >6 mm); 4. Vascularisaty (normal, pink, red, purple); 5. Pigmentation (normal, hypopigmentation, mixed pigmentation, hyperpigmentation); 6. Pliability (normal, supple, yielding, firm, adherent); 7. Pain (nine point scale); 8. Itching (nine point scale). Children whose age is of twelve to eighteen years get standardized questionnaires on body image (minimum score 8, maximum score 40), and quality of life (functional and symptom status: 11 items with a range from 1-4, global health status: 2 items with a range from 1-7). | — |
Contacts
Public ContactH.A. Heij
Academic Medical Center (AMC), Emma Children's Hospital and VU University Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Surgery (9d32), P.O. Box 22660
Outcome results
None listed