Comparison of Cosmetic Outcomes of Straight Line and W-plasty Techniques for Linear Wound Closure: a Randomized Evaluator Blinded Split Wound Comparative Effectiveness Trial
W-plasty/Linear closure
Other Study
Summary
Study start date: February 26, 2018
Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.Optimizing the cosmetic appearance of surgical scars is an important element of cutaneous surgery, especially for procedures performed on conspicuous areas of the body such as the head and face. Multiple factors have been shown to affect the aesthetic outcome of scars resulting from cutaneous surgery including the amount of tension on the resultant surgical wound, suture technique and type of sutures used. The use of various wound closure techniques including linear straight-line (SL) and geometric broken-line closure techniques (Z-plasty, W-plasty) to achieve a superior cosmetic scar outcome, has been debated in the dermatology and plastic surgery literature with few studies comparing SL and broken-line closure techniques and mixed results as to which modality provides a superior cosmetic outcome \[2\]. A study of forehead donor site closure in in 31 undergoing a paramedian forehead flap procedure showed that W-plasty provided a superior cosmetic outcome over straight-line closure, however another study in 30 patients undergoing tempo-parietal facial flaps found that W-plasty resulted in an inferior cosmetic outcome compared to linear closure. In addition, a large national survey of over 800 lay public participants found that linear scars were perceived as more cosmetically favorable than zig-zag scars in three facial locations (temple, cheek and forehead). Currently, there are no studies comparing the two closure techniques in a split-scar design, which can ameliorate many potentially confounding individual patient factors that could affect scar outcome. Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are a commonly utilized reconstructive option in cutaneous surgery, and are typically harvested from behind the ear (postauricular) to close surgical defects on the head and face following surgical removal of both benign and malignant cutaneous tumors. This study aims to investigate whether the choice of straight-line linear closure versus a zig-zag broken line cutaneous closure technique (W-plasty) affects the cosmetic outcome of postauricular scars resulting from donor site closure following FTSG harvest. Additionally, skin lesions removed behind the ear present another opportunity to compare outcomes of these two techniques in an inconspicuous location.
Protocol
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.50 patients to be enrolled
Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.Other Study
Eligibility
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.Any sex
Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.Over 18 Years
Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.Healthy volunteers not allowed
If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.Criteria
Study Plan
Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.2 intervention groups are designated in this study
This study does not include a placebo group
Treatment Groups
Group I
Active ComparatorGroup II
Active ComparatorStudy Objectives
Primary Objectives
Study Centers
These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.This study has 1 location
University of California, Davis
Sacramento, United StatesOpen University of California, Davis in Google Maps