Photographic assessment of postsurgical facial scars epidermally sutured with rapidly absorbable polyglactin 910 or nylon: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Surgeonsuse absorbable and nonabsorbable sutures for epidermal wound closure. No large, randomized studies have compared the effect of these suture types on facial scar appearance. To assess postsurgical facial scar appearance using either rapidly absorbable polyglactin 910 or nylon for epidermal closure. Randomized, blinded, split-scar clinical trial. A total of 105 patients with facial wounds resulting from Mohs micrographic surgery excisions were randomly assigned for epidermal closure with rapidly absorbable 5-0 polyglactin 910 (Vicryl Rapide) on one half of the repair and 5-0 nylon (Ethilon) on the other half. Two physicians (1 dermatologist and 1 plastic surgeon), unaware of the original suture location, examined photographs of each healed wound at 6months after surgery and graded the appearance of each half of the scar using the visual analog scale, wound evaluation scale, and Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale. At 6months, there was no significant difference in the combined mean (standard deviation) visual analog scale scores (83.1 [14.2] and 83.0 [13.7]), Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale scores (4.3 [0.9] and 4.4 [0.9]), or wound evaluation scale scores (5.3 [1.1] and 5.2 [1.1]) for rapidly absorbable polyglactin 910 versus nylon (P=.72, .57, and .21, respectively). Single institution. Both rapidly absorbable polyglactin 910 and nylon sutures placed through the epidermis resulted in an equivalent photographic appearance of facial scars at 6months after surgery.