Risk factors for hypertrophic surgical scar development after thyroidectomy

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Dermatology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Postoperative neck scarring is a significant concern following thyroidectomy.
• Current treatments for hypertrophic scars often yield unsatisfactory patient outcomes.
• Identifying and preventing risk factors for hypertrophic scarring is critical for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify preoperative risk factors associated with the development of hypertrophic scars after thyroidectomy.
• To inform preventative strategies for managing neck scarring in thyroid surgery patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 96 thyroidectomy patient medical records.
• Patients were categorized into hypertrophic scar (n=61) and linear flat scar (n=35) groups.
• Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to determine risk factors.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in age, gender, tumor type, or operation type between groups.
• Hypertrophic scar development was significantly associated with: incision site within 1 cm of the sternal notch (OR=5.94, p=0.01), prominent sternocleidomastoid muscles (OR=12.03, p<0.01), and high body mass index (OR=1.33, p=0.01).
• The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for identified risk factors was 0.85.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative factors such as incision location near the sternal notch, prominent sternocleidomastoid muscles, and high body mass index are associated with hypertrophic scar development after thyroidectomy.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering specific patient and surgical factors for scar prevention strategies.
• Further research can focus on targeted interventions based on these identified risk factors.