Does wound eversion improve cosmetic outcome?: Results of a randomized, split-scar, comparative trial

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Plastic Surgery
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Hypotheses suggest wound edge eversion enhances aesthetic outcomes in cutaneous wound closure.
• Existing data supporting this claim are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if wound eversion, using interrupted subcuticular sutures, leads to improved aesthetic results compared to planar closures.
• To compare aesthetic outcomes of everted versus planar wound repairs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, randomized, split-scar intervention study on patients undergoing cutaneous surgery.
• Each wound was randomly assigned to either everted or planar repair on one side, with the opposite method on the other.
• Scar assessment using the Patient Observer Self-Assessment Scale (POSAS) by patients and two blinded observers at 3 and 6 months.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in total observer POSAS scores between everted and planar sides at 3 or 6 months.
• Patient self-assessment scores also showed no significant difference between everted and planar repairs at follow-up.
• Scar height and width measurements did not differ significantly between the two closure techniques.

Conclusions:

• Wound eversion, as achieved in this study, was not significantly associated with improved overall scar aesthetics.
• The findings suggest that eversion may not be a critical factor for superior scar outcomes in this context.
• Limitations include a single-center trial and reliance on a subjective scar assessment instrument.