Babak Alinasab1, Per-Olle Haraldsson2. 1. Division of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. babak.alinasab@karolinska.se. 2. Astoria Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The open approach using inverted-V incisions has gained popularity in both primary and revision rhinoplasty during the last years. The risk of a disturbing columellar scar has been shown to be very low when meticulously closed. However, the suture extractions are usually painful and time consuming. OBJECTIVES: To investigate if rapid resorbable sutures could replace non-resorbable sutures in nasal transcolumellar incisions. The present study compared (1) patient discomfort, (2) scarring and (3) risk for postoperative infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 58 consecutive patients subjected to open rhinoplasty by the same surgeon using midcolumellar inverted-V incisions were investigated retrospectively. Forty-one (71 %) were eligible and investigated, of whom 27 (65 %) were of Middle Eastern descent and the rest Caucasians from Northern Europe. The first 21 patients were sutured with non-resorbable suture material polypropylene (PP) (Prolene(®) 5/0; Ethicon Inc.) and the subsequent 20 patients with a rapidly resorbable suture material, the 5/0 irradiated Polygalactic acid (PGA); (Vicryl Rapide(®) 5/0; Ethicon Inc.). Discomfort from the suture extraction of the PP sutures was compared to trimming of the PGA sutures at the skin surface 1 week postoperatively, and visibility of the columellar scars was evaluated by the patients themselves on a self-report questionnaire. This was done prior to the investigation and postoperative photography at the follow-up visit a minimum of 6 months postoperatively. The postoperative photographs were then assessed by 20 rhinoplasty surgeons independently, using the same questionnaire. RESULTS: Trimming of the PGA sutures caused significantly less discomfort than the extraction of PP sutures (p ≤ 0.01), of which 6 (29 %) found the suture extraction very painful. Overall, 40/41 (98 %) found their scars non-disturbing. Moreover, 17/21 (81 %) of the patients sutured with PP and 18/20 (90 %) of the patients sutured with PGA considered their scars to be invisible or almost invisible. The corresponding assessments from the observers were 16/21 (76 %) and 16/20 (80 %), respectively. No postoperative infection was found in any group. CONCLUSION: Suturing inverted-V transcolumellar incisions with rapid resorbable sutures caused significantly less discomfort but no difference in scarring compared to non-resorbable sutures as evaluated by patients and observers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
BACKGROUND: The open approach using inverted-V incisions has gained popularity in both primary and revision rhinoplasty during the last years. The risk of a disturbing columellar scar has been shown to be very low when meticulously closed. However, the suture extractions are usually painful and time consuming. OBJECTIVES: To investigate if rapid resorbable sutures could replace non-resorbable sutures in nasal transcolumellar incisions. The present study compared (1) patient discomfort, (2) scarring and (3) risk for postoperative infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 58 consecutive patients subjected to open rhinoplasty by the same surgeon using midcolumellar inverted-V incisions were investigated retrospectively. Forty-one (71 %) were eligible and investigated, of whom 27 (65 %) were of Middle Eastern descent and the rest Caucasians from Northern Europe. The first 21 patients were sutured with non-resorbable suture material polypropylene (PP) (Prolene(®) 5/0; Ethicon Inc.) and the subsequent 20 patients with a rapidly resorbable suture material, the 5/0 irradiated Polygalactic acid (PGA); (Vicryl Rapide(®) 5/0; Ethicon Inc.). Discomfort from the suture extraction of the PP sutures was compared to trimming of the PGA sutures at the skin surface 1 week postoperatively, and visibility of the columellar scars was evaluated by the patients themselves on a self-report questionnaire. This was done prior to the investigation and postoperative photography at the follow-up visit a minimum of 6 months postoperatively. The postoperative photographs were then assessed by 20 rhinoplasty surgeons independently, using the same questionnaire. RESULTS: Trimming of the PGA sutures caused significantly less discomfort than the extraction of PP sutures (p ≤ 0.01), of which 6 (29 %) found the suture extraction very painful. Overall, 40/41 (98 %) found their scars non-disturbing. Moreover, 17/21 (81 %) of the patients sutured with PP and 18/20 (90 %) of the patients sutured with PGA considered their scars to be invisible or almost invisible. The corresponding assessments from the observers were 16/21 (76 %) and 16/20 (80 %), respectively. No postoperative infection was found in any group. CONCLUSION: Suturing inverted-V transcolumellar incisions with rapid resorbable sutures caused significantly less discomfort but no difference in scarring compared to non-resorbable sutures as evaluated by patients and observers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .