Comparison of Polydioxanone and Polypropylene Sutures in Columellar Incision Closure: A Prospective Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Otolaryngology
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Columellar scarring is a significant aesthetic concern following open septorhinoplasty.
• Previous research compared various suture types, but long-term scar outcomes with polydioxanone (PDS) sutures were unexamined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term aesthetic outcomes of polydioxanone (PDS) sutures compared to Prolene sutures in open septorhinoplasty scar management.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 96 patients undergoing primary septorhinoplasty.
• Patients were assigned to either PDS or Prolene suture groups.
• Scar evaluation at one year using the Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale (SBSES) and visual analog scales (VAS).

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in patient-reported VAS scores (P=0.326), physician-reported VAS scores (P=0.055), or SBSES scores (P=0.41).
• Non-inferiority for physician-rated VAS was supported by confidence interval analyses.
• Patient-rated VAS and SBSES total scores approached prespecified non-inferiority margins.

Conclusions:

• Polydioxanone (PDS) sutures provide aesthetic results comparable to Prolene sutures in open septorhinoplasty.
• PDS sutures offer the advantages of absorbability and sustained tensile strength.
• PDS may be preferred when long-term support or avoidance of suture removal discomfort is desired.