The role of suture material in hypertrophic scar formation: Monocryl vs. Vicryl-rapide

The development of hypertrophic scars and keloids is an unsolved problem in the process of wound healing. There are indications that inflammation plays an important role in this process, but its exact mechanism remains unclear. In this study the amount of inflammation and the development of hypertrophic scars and keloids was investigated in inframammary skin incisions sutured with synthetic absorbable suture materials: a monofilamentous suture (Monocryl) compared with a multifilamentous suture (Vicryl-rapide). In 81 breast reduction patients Monocryl (N = 28) has proved to give significantly smaller, less reactive scars with a lower tendency toward hypertrophic scar formation compared with Vicryl-rapide (N = 53).