Background and objective.

Scars may have functional, cosmetic and psychosocial implications on individuals. Current treatment through surgical excision does not always bring satisfactory results and also, it represents a new wound and could promote an abnormal healing process. In contrast, the autologous fat grafting associated with rigottomy would not produce new visible scars with better results.

The objective of our study was to analyze the effectiveness of the autologous fat grafting associated with rigottomy for the treatment of unaesthetic scars.

Methods

An experimental, prospective, longitudinal study was carried on. Participants were adult women and men (n=32) who attended between 2013-2017 the Clinic of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Dr. Mottura and the Model Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, (IMGO), in Córdoba, Argentina. Fat was collected by manual and central aspiration. The obtained material was decanting and the supernatant fat was employed. Aponeurotic skin adhesions were released by rigottomy and fat graft was held on the injury with blunt cannula.

Satisfaction level about scars appearance of patients and surgeons was assessed before and after intervention, by a visual analogue scale. ANOVA test was used to analyze changes in satisfaction level. A multivariate linear regression model was developed to analyze the association between the level of post treatment satisfaction and the original size of the lesion.

Results

In our experience with patients, the level of pre and post treatment satisfaction was statistically significantly different (pЇlt;0.0001), as well as in surgeons (pЇlt;0.0001). The depressed scars presented a better evolution than the non-depressed scars (pЇlt;0.0021) and a statistically significant inverse association was observed between scar size and post treatment satisfaction score in patients (Ї#x03b2; = -0.03, 95% CI, 0.06-0.001, p=0.039).

Conclusions

Autologous fat grafting associated with rigottomy is an effective therapeutic strategy for surgical correction of unaesthetic scars.

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