Comparison of Scar Results and Time for Closures of Scalp Defects Via Pulley Sutures or Layered Repairs

Overview

Surgical defects on the scalp require closure via various techniques of suture placement. A traditional technique requires both dermal (deep) and epidermal (superficial) placement of sutures to close the defect; this is referred to as intermediate or complex linear repair. However, the scalp is a location with high tension, and thus the closures take an hour or longer to perform. A type of suture placement referred to as the "pulley stitch" requires placement of a few stitches along the defect. The pulley stitch can be used in areas of high tension to close a large defect. The purpose of this study is to compare the scar results and time taken to perform scalp closures via only pulley stitches or via intermediate/complex linear repairs. To my knowledge, no such study has been performed to compare the two techniques. Such a study would be useful in demonstrating comparable scar appearance and reduce the time to perform scalp closures.

Conditions

Interventions