Long-term outcome of intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of keloid scars in Asian patients

We studied the long-term outcome of injection of triamcinolone acetonide into keloid scars in Asian patients. Between 1985 and 2003, we treated 109 keloid scars in 94 patients by injecting 1 to 10 mg of triamcinolone acetonide depending on the size of the lesion at four week intervals. There was little morbidity. Thirty-one patients gave up treatment within 10 injections because of pain and lack of immediate improvement. Improvement in subjective symptoms was seen in 52 of the remaining 63 patients (82%). In objective symptoms, fair or better results were seen in 40 of 63 (63%), and good or better results in 25 of 63 (39%). The treatment method required 20-30 injections over three to five years. Although we did not achieve as good results as other authors, we think it was safer because we used a smaller dose of a steroid.