Interlocking Circumareolar Suture With Undyed Polyamide Thread: A Personal Experience

Abstract

In plastic breast surgery, the interlocking areolar suture has gained wide popularity since its introduction in 2007 by Hammond and colleagues. The interlocking circumareolar suture plays its role in the setting of circumareolar excisions to achieve a durable areola shaping and to prevent scar widening/hypertrophy and areola spreading/distortion. This study retrospectively reviewed 49 breasts that underwent interlocking suture after July 2011 for both aesthetic and reconstructive indications. For the suturing, 3-0 undyed polyamide thread with a straight cutting needle (Dafilon; B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany) was used. This suture material was preferred to Gore-Tex reported by Hammond and colleagues because it is undyed without any microporous configuration, more wieldy, and less expensive. All 49 breasts showed good results in terms of areola shaping and diameter control as well as good scar quality during a mean follow-up period of 12 months (range 2-18 months) (Fig. 2). No infection, suture extrusion, skin fistula, or granuloma were experienced. The suture was not visible at all, and the patients did not report its palpability. However, at careful examination, the thread resulted slightly palpable.