Negative pressure treatment for improvement of surgical wounds after circumferential thigh lift.

BACKGROUND

The circumferential thigh lift (CTL) with vertical scar is a more extensive and effective procedure compared to the traditional lift, but the scar is not aequally concealed. Negative pressure treatment (NPT) is considered to have a beneficial effect on the physiological process of wound healing and early scar formation. A comparison study was therefore carried out in order to evaluate the effect of NPT on scar quality.

METHODS

All postobese patients consecutively treated for thigh laxity in the period January 2012 to April 2013 were recruited in a prospective cohort study. All patients underwent CTL. In group A, NPT was applied on the sutured wound in the immediate postoperative phase for a period of one week. In Group B traditional dressings were used. The quality of scars was evaluated by means of the Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale (SBSES) at 7, 15, 30 and 365 days postoperatively.

RESULTS

91 patients were included in the period defined, of whom 48 in group A and 43 in group B. In group A, the mean SBSES score was 4.4 at 7 days, 4 at 15 days, 4.6 at 30 days and 4.8 at 365 days. In group B the SBSES score was 3.2 at 7 days, 3 at 15 days, 3 at 30 and 365 days. At all postoperative stages the quality of the scar showed to be significantly improved by the use of NPT (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

NPT is a useful adjunct to the postoperative wound healing after circumferential thigh lift, when compared to a hostile cohort of patients whose wounds are not treated with NPT.

KEY WORDS

Thigh lift, Negative Pressure Therapy.