Aesthetic comparison between synthetic glue and subcuticular sutures in thyroid and parathyroid surgery: a single-blinded randomised clinical trial

The aim of our study was to compare, in terms of aesthetic results, the use of synthetic glue to intradermal absorbable sutures in postthyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy wound closure in a single blinded, randomised, per protocol equivalence study. From September 2008 to May 2010, patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery (with an external approach) at the Otolaryngology Department of the University Hospital of Modena were assessed for eligibility. In total, 42 patients who had had synthetic glue application on surgical incisions (A) and 47 patients who had subcuticular sutures on their surgical incisions (B) were enrolled. The mean of the endpoint (based on the Wound Registry Scale) of group A at 10 days was 1.4, while that in group B (based on the Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale) was 2.9. Statistically significant (p = 0.002) and clinically significant (difference of the means = 1.5) differences in the aesthetic results were found between groups A and B at 10 days, with better results in group B. On the other hand, at 3 months, the mean of the endpoint in group A was 3.1 while that in group B was 2.8; no statistically significant (p = 0.62) or clinically significant (difference in means = 0.3) differences were found between groups A and B. In conclusion, synthetic glue differs from subcuticular suture in post-thyroidectomy or post-parathyroidectomy incision for early aesthetic results, with better outcomes for subcuticular sutures. At 3 months, there were no differences in aesthetic outcomes between groups. Moreover, sex, incision length, age, cold/hot blade and correspondence of the incision with a wrinkle in the skin did not seem to influence aesthetic outcomes with this type of incision.