Summary of main results
Head and neck incisions can result in the some of the most noticeable
scars of any surgical specialty, with the resulting cosmetic defects
often having a detrimental effect on patient’s QOL. Various wound
closure methods are employed in head and neck surgery, but there are few
studies examining how these ultimately influence the appearance of scars
in the neck. The primary aim of this review was therefore to determine
if any method resulted in a superior cosmetic outcome. It was found that
in the short term there was no significant difference in scar appearance
between interrupted skin sutures, staples and tissue adhesives. Staples
and tissue adhesives were found to be faster but more expensive than
sutures, which may be the only variables that influence a surgeon’s
choice of technique.