Scar is an unpleasant symptom that commonly appear after orthopedic surgery, especially the joint procedure. Due to the wide motion range, skin around joint has excessive tension that may increase risk for wide or conspicuous scar formation of surgical wound. Noticeable scar can negatively impact the quality of life and psychosocial development. However, scar management is overlooked in early recovery period easily. Patients commonly start to turn their attention to the surgical scar after the completion of rehabilitation or the resolution of disease or unbearable symptom. It is always beyond the best period of scar treatment, 3 to 6 months after wound healing. This study is aimed to observe and evaluate the scar formation with or without aggressive management in pediatric population within 6 months after wound healing.
This is an observational, case-control study. Patients will be invited to participate and allocated to scar dressing group if they plan to use scar dressing. After gaining the written inform consent, participants will be asked to fulfill the patient diary, including the record of scar dressing use, patient scar assessment scale and satisfaction assessment, with parents' help. In regular group, patients are retrospectively selected by matched factors, such as demographics data. Scar-related data, including scar pictures, vancouver scar scale assessment and complication, are collected from medical history in both groups.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
40
Patients treated with scar dressing for surgical scar care are invited to participate this study and allocated in scar dressing group despite the length of caring period.
Patients receiving regular scar care are retrospectively identified with matching factors, such as gender, age, length of surgical wound and surgical procedure.
Vancouver Scar Scale
Vancouver scar scale includes four items toward evaluation of observable aspects of the scar. Each item is rated with 4-6 possible points.
Time frame: 3 months after surgical wound healing
Patient Scar Assessment Scale
In scar dressing group, patient scar assessment scale consists of 6 questions. Each question is rated from 1 to 10. 1 is the best and 10 reflects the worst.
Time frame: From surgical wound healed to 6 months later
Incidence of incision site complication
Percentage of the population suffering from surgical scar-related complications are analyzed, especially the ones toward scar dressing.
Time frame: From surgical wound healed to 6 months later
Patient satisfaction
In scar dressing group, patients are asked with serial questions to rate satisfaction toward scar dressing on a numeric rating scale. 1 means the most unsatisfaction and 10 means the most satisfaction.
Time frame: 3 months after surgical wound healing
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