Perioperative Antibiotic Use and Its Impact on Postoperative Scarring: A Retrospective Study
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrollment
- 5,000
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Overall Scar Appearance Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This retrospective observational cohort study will evaluate whether perioperative antibiotic use is associated with long-term surgical scar outcomes. The study will include adult patients who underwent body surface surgery at Nanfang Hospital between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2025 and have available surgical, medication, and scar-related clinical records.
The study will not assign participants to any treatment. Researchers will review existing medical records, perioperative antibiotic exposure, surgical characteristics, complications, and scar assessments or photographs. Scar outcomes will be assessed using modified visual analogue scale scores, scar width, scar type, and scar-related complications.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Cohort
- Time Perspective
- Retrospective
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age 18 years or older.
- •Underwent body surface surgery at Nanfang Hospital between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2025, with a linear surgical incision scar.
- •Presented to the Department of Plastic Surgery at Nanfang Hospital for surgical scar-related care.
- •Had no medical encounter record at Nanfang Hospital from January 1, 2025 to the time of study screening.
- •Available clear surgical records and perioperative medication records.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Known tendency for pathological scarring or scar constitution.
- •History of chronic skin disease in the surgical area, such as psoriasis or eczema.
- •Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, hypoalbuminemia, or long-term use of immunosuppressive agents or glucocorticoids.
- •Target scar received any scar-specific treatment after surgery, such as laser therapy, radiotherapy, drug injection, or surgical revision.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Overall Scar Appearance Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale
Time Frame: Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam
Overall scar appearance will be evaluated from scar photographs by three blinded physicians or trained study personnel using a modified visual analogue scale. Scores range from 1 to 10, with 1 indicating appearance similar to normal skin and 10 indicating the worst imaginable scar appearance.
Secondary Outcomes
- Scar Color Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale(Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam)
- Scar Texture Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale(Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam)
- Scar Width(Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam)
- Scar-Related Complications(Postoperative days 0 to 30 (inclusive). The timing of each complication was determined from medical records.)