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The following is a summary of “Wound closure techniques after wide excision for hidradenitis suppurativa: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the November 2024 issue of Dermatology by Cucu et al.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease described by recurrent nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts, and scarring, with systemic treatments offering temporary relief and wide surgical excision providing longer disease-free periods.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the most effective wound closure methods following wide excision of HS lesions, focusing on recurrence, functionality, and QoL.
They searched literature across PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Original studies published up to February 2024 were included, focusing on wound closure techniques after wide excision for HS.
The results showed that data from 121 studies were analyzed using network and direct meta-analysis to compare recurrence and postoperative complication rates; of the 1,181 articles reviewed, 121 met the inclusion criteria after duplicates were removed and irrelevant publications were excluded. The recurrence rates varied by reconstruction method: primary closure had a recurrence rate of 25% (95% CI, 20–30%); skin grafts showed a recurrence rate of 18% (95% CI, 14–22%); and flaps had the lowest recurrence rate at 12% (95% CI, 9–15%) while, secondary intention healing was associated with a recurrence rate of 28% (95% CI, 23–33%).
Investigators concluded that flaps had the lowest recurrence rates compared to other surgical techniques.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ijd.17553
