Effect of Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor Against Cutaneous Scar Formation in Murine Full-thickness Wound Healing

A visible cutaneous scar develops from the excess formation of immature collagen in response to an inflammatory reaction. This study examined the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the formation of cutaneous scars. Twenty Crl:CD-1 (ICR) mice were used and 2 full-thickness skin wounds were made on the dorsum of each mouse. One of the wounds was treated with recombinant human EGF by local application and the other was treated with saline for control until complete healing was achieved. The EGF-treated group's wounds healed faster than the control group's. The width of the scar was smaller by 30% and the area was smaller by 26% in the EGF-treated group. Inflammatory cell numbers were significantly lower in the EGF-treated group. The expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in the EGF-treated group was increased. It was observed that the amount of collagen in the EGF-treated group was larger than the control group. In the EGF-treated group, the visible external scars were less noticeable than that in the control group. These results suggest that EGF can reduce cutaneous scars by suppressing inflammatory reactions, decreasing expression of TGF-β1, and mediating the formation of collagen

The Allentown Connection—A Tribute for Lew Jae-duk, the “Father of Korean Plastic Surgery”

In retrospect, the irony of this story began with the first meeting of these co-authors—in of all places, Coimbatore, India, in 2008, at the 12th International Perforator Flap Course. Here the junior author [hereafter “jp”] demonstrated his unparalleled skills in networking, and soon thereafter journeyed some 11,073 km to Allentown, U.S. to peruse the operating room and clinics of the senior author [sic. ggh] in action. Within 2 years jp orchestrated the presentation of the 14th International Perforator Flap Course, so ggh with great anticipation flew only 6,830 miles to reach Seoul, Korea for his first time. But four years more elapsed before ggh returned again to Korea to be a visiting professor, all the while not quite sure why any Korean would want anything from a country doctor who resided in nowheresville Allentown, Pennsylvania. Yet, an extraordinary fact then was to be unveiled, about which ggh was totally ignorant. The pioneer of plastic surgery in Korea, the first Korean to have completed an accredited plastic surgery fellowship, by coincidence had accomplished all this in … Allentown. The collegial relationship that evolved between these co-authors, who met by chance, indeed had a precedent coincidence! Was this “by chance” alone or predestination? Amazingly, in a way similar, the origin of plastic surgery itself in Korea also had Allentown connections. As a tribute to Lew Jae-duk, this important story must be here told, so let us now retrace his past in Allentown so we can find how the future was to be not so far away

The Allentown Connection-A Tribute for Lew Jae-duk, the Father of Korean Plastic Surgery .

In retrospect, the irony of this story began with the first meeting of these co-authors-in of all places, Coimbatore, India, in 2008, at the 12th International Perforator Flap Course. Here the junior author [hereafter jp ] demonstrated his unparalleled skills in networking, and soon thereafter journeyed some 11,073 km to Allentown, U.S. to peruse the operating room and clinics of the senior author [sic. ggh] in action. Within 2 years jp orchestrated the presentation of the 14th International Perforator Flap Course, so ggh with great anticipation flew only 6,830 miles to reach Seoul, Korea for his first time. But four years more elapsed before ggh returned again to Korea to be a visiting professor, all the while not quite sure why any Korean would want anything from a country doctor who resided in nowheresville Allentown, Pennsylvania. Yet, an extraordinary fact then was to be unveiled, about which ggh was totally ignorant. The pioneer of plastic surgery in Korea, the first Korean to have completed an accredited plastic surgery fellowship, by coincidence had accomplished all this in … Allentown. The collegial relationship that evolved between these co-authors, who met by chance, indeed had a precedent coincidence! Was this by chance alone or predestination? Amazingly, in a way similar, the origin of plastic surgery itself in Korea also had Allentown connections. As a tribute to Lew Jae-duk, this important story must be here told, so let us now retrace his past in Allentown so we can find how the future was to be not so far away