Small strip case on teenager with hairloss after brain tumor by Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

**Dr. Lindsey** · 04-20-2010 07:12 AM

First of all, many folks know that my 9 year old daughter Julia had a brain tumor surgically removed last May, had radiation in the summer, and now has 2 more chemotherapy treatments left. I suspect that Julia will have 2 areas, very similar to the smaller area of this patient, that we may end up dealing with down the road.

So I have a higher than normal interest in this patient's progress.

This 16 year old had a different type of brain tumor than my daughter, but had surgery, high dose radiation, and chemotherapy. In January, his mom, and another mom(also with a child with a brain tumor--very similar to my daughter's) both found me and came in for a consultation. We had to reschedule do to snow once, and a second time so that he could take his driver's education course, but we moved ahead 2 weeks ago.

I planned to do a 500 graft FUE case to address the superior area of hairloss, near his old scar and come back later to address the lower site. We chose FUE so as to avoid a strip in his irradiated scalp tissue. But it was impossible to harvest. I tried 3 different sized punches by hand and with the mechanical power source, but the scalp just collapsed. After a good bit of hand wringing on my part, we opted to proceed with a small strip.

We got around 787 grafts, roughly half doubles, and placed them in the scar and in the hairless area, so that gravity would help give more coverage when this grows in. His strip healed nicely and sutures were removed at day 6, with deep sutures of course left in for security.

He'll be back after school lets out, and if this begins to grow well, we'll do another case for the lower area.

This young man was a trooper, and was a delight to work with. I brought my daughter in to meet him at suture removal.

Now all we have to do is wait for some growth. I told them that I'd not previously transplanted irradiated hair into a coned down area that received even more radiation, but his slits oozed normally, so I am optimistic that the local blood supply will be sufficient to nourish the placed grafts.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

**CIT_Girl** · 04-20-2010 08:53 AM

It's heart wrenching to think of people so young having to go through something like that. I've got my fingers crossed that your patient will see some great growth. He and your little girl are in my thoughts and prayers!