The length-control suture: a new method for prevention of hypertrophic scars and dog-ears.

Abstract

Surgical and traumatic wounds develop hypertrophic scarring when exposed to lengthwise stress. The length-control suture (LCS) technique, in which a suture is passed in a closed-loop beneath the wound and anchored to the underside of the dermis, thereby pulling the apices inward, protects wounds from these forces and also limits the formation of dog-ears. Between 2006 and 2009, a retrospective review was performed in 230 consecutive patients who underwent wound closure with the LCS technique by a single surgeon. Wounds were evaluated at 6 weeks and 6 months. In 223 cases (97%), the technique resulted in a scar that was thin, soft, and flat. There were 6 cases of spitting and 1 case of hypertrophy. The LCS technique is useful for a wide variety of surgical and traumatic wounds across all anatomic regions. This technique if used results in scars that are reliably flat, thin, and supple within 6 months.