Impact of Suture Type on Pigment Disturbances in Patients of Skin of Color: A Prospective, Randomized Split-wound Study
Melissa Pugliano-Mauro
Summary
The present study assesses if dissolvable (fast gut) or non-dissolvable (polypropylene) epidermal sutures produce better cosmetic results in terms of dyspigmentation and scarring in patients of skin of color. Through a split-wound study design, patients undergoing standard elliptical excisions at least 3 cm in length will receive each suture type. Measurements of dyspigmentation and scarring will be made at 7 days (for the head and neck), 10 days (for the trunk and extremities), and 3 months for all locations.
Description
Subjects who consent to the study will have the following information recorded on the date of surgery: age, sex, indication for surgery, surgical site, scar length, size and type of buried intradermal suture, experience of surgeon (attending, fellow or resident), and New Immigration Scale (NIS) skin color. Basic patient medical data pertinent to wound healing/scar formation will be extracted from the medical record including history of hypertrophic scar/keloids, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and immunosuppression. The subjects will undergo elliptical excision per standard of care. A single poly…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18 years or older 2. Undergoing dermatologic surgery with planned standard elliptical excision with wound length of 3 cm or greater. Benign and malignant lesions will be included, including those that have undergone Mohs micrographic surgery prior to standard linear closure. All body sites will be included. 3. Able to give informed consent 4. Able to return for 3 month follow up 5. New Immigration Scale (NIS) skin color 4 or greater - The NIS is an 11 point scale, ranging from zero to 10, with zero representing albinism and 10 representing the darkest possible skin.…
Interventions
- Device5-0 Polypropylene epidermal suture
Split-wound, intra-individual comparison - half of wound will receive 5-0 polypropylene epidermal suture and half of wound will receive 5-0 fast gut epidermal suture
- Device5-0 Fast gut epidermal suture
Split-wound, intra-individual comparison - half of wound will receive 5-0 polypropylene epidermal suture and half of wound will receive 5-0 fast gut epidermal suture
Locations (3)
- UPMC PresbyterianPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- UPMC St. MargaretPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- UPMC Shadyside PlacePittsburgh, Pennsylvania