Devices for PCI

The use of needles in order to stimulate the production of good quality collagen in the treatment of scars was initially described by Orentreich and Orentreich in 1995, who successfully reported the use of the Subcision™ technique. Shortly after, Camirand and Doucet (Aesthetic Plast Surg 21(1):48–51, 1997) reported cases of scar improvement after performing scar scarification using the needles of a tattoo machine. It is already well established that the perforation caused by needles triggers the cascade of wound healing, and in this process, through the release of growth factors, collagen production occurs. The origin of the instruments used is also important with respect to the quality of the needles. Different materials used in the manufacture of the needles interfere with the resistance, the characteristic of the injury caused, and, consequently, the results. The needles are diagonally arranged in some instruments, seeking optimization of results. The scanning microscopy shows the difference in length of the needles, which directly interferes in the intensity of the lesion caused in the skin. The microneedles attached to the device are made of stainless steel and generally pre-sterilized with gamma radiation. The rollers used for medical treatment are for single use. They should not be re-sterilized, as they lose their cut and buckle the needles, compromising the result and the safety of the procedure (Aust MC. Plast Reconstr Surg. 121(4):1421–9, 2008; Bal SM et al. Eur J Pharm Sci. 35(3):193–202, 2008; Brody HJ. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2(2):127–8, 1995).