A rare case of aplasia cutis congenita.

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a newborn with aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) to provide insights for diagnosing and treating the disease. It is believed that ACC with an intact skull and a skin defect diameter of less than 2 cm can be treated conservatively. The main strategies include local disinfection and regular dressing changes to promote epithelial regeneration. The lesion can heal over weeks or months through epithelization adjacent to the defect tissue, resulting in a healed contracture scar with a smooth, hairless surface that can be surgically removed later. For children with large scalp defects or skull defects, skin transplantation, free flap, and cranioplasty can be performed to repair the wound and restore the tissue structure. It is worth mentioning that although this child had a scalp defect larger than 2 cm, conservative treatment still had a significant effect. This suggests that conservative treatment can be considered as the first choice for ACC neonates without skull defects, and surgical treatment can be considered when necessary.