Trocar port scar quality in morbidly obese patients after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND

Patient satisfaction of scar quality and their influence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have never been investigated in morbidly obese patients.

OBJECTIVES

Our objectives were (1) to assess scar quality 1 year post laparoscopic bariatric surgery by means of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), and (2) to examine the influence of patients' perception of scar quality on patients' HRQoL.

SETTING

A large Bariatric Center of Excellence in the Netherlands.

METHODS

This was a descriptive pilot study of patients who underwent primary laparoscopic bariatric surgery. One year after surgery, patients and 2 observers completed the POSAS. HRQoL was assessed by using the RAND-36. Agreement of POSAS scores between patients and observers was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficient. Correlations between POSAS scores and HRQoL scores were calculated with Spearman's rho.

RESULTS

A total of 50 patients were included. Patients scored their scar quality worse than observers (21 versus 15-16), particularly on visual parameters (4-5 versus 2-3). Patients and observers showed poor agreement on all POSAS items (intraclass correlation coefficient = .16-.32). No significant correlations were detected between POSAS and HRQoL scores.

CONCLUSION

While patient scar quality satisfaction was relatively low after bariatric surgery, these outcomes were not correlated with HRQoL. Bariatric surgeons should be aware that patients could have a different view on scar quality compared with them. This realization is important to manage patient expectations regarding scar quality after bariatric surgery. Effective communication may improve patient satisfaction as an outcome.