Columellar Scar Following Open Rhinoplasty Using Absorbable Suture Versus Nonabsorbable Suture: A Meta-Analysis.

This meta-analysis seeks to determine whether a difference in long-term scar outcomes exists between absorbable and nonabsorbable sutures for closure of the columellar incision after open rhinoplasty. PubMed, OVID Medline, Conference Papers Index, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using terms including "suture," "sutures," "absorbable," "columella," "columellar," "transcolumellar," "trans-columellar," "rhinoplasty," "septorhinoplasty," "scar," "scars," and "scarring," as well as associated MeSH terms. Six studies with 435 patients were included for systematic review and meta-analysis, with five studies included in meta-analysis for patient-reported outcomes, and six studies included for physician-reported outcomes. There was no significant difference in scar appearance between the absorbable suture group and nonabsorbable group among both patient-reported and physician-reported outcomes. This meta-analysis of six studies meeting inclusion criteria does not demonstrate a significant difference in long-term scar appearance based on suture type after open rhinoplasty.