Comparison of the effectiveness of topical silicone gel and corticosteroid cream on the pfannenstiel scar prevention - a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives:To compare the effects of topical silicone gel and corticosteroid cream for preventing hypertrophic scar and keloid formation following Pfannenstiel incisions. Material and methods: Fifty patients operated for benign gynecological diseases through primary Pfannenstiel incision were included. The wounds were randomly allocated to the treatment and control arms. In the treatment arm, the wounds were divided into two halves; one was treated with silicone gel and the other with methylprednisolone cream. No treatment was administered to the control group. Scars using the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (MVSS), patient satisfaction, and side effects were evaluated before and after (3rd month when treatment discontinued and 6th month) the treatment. Results:Thirty-nine patients (21 patients in the treatment group and 18 patients in the control group) completed the study. Intragroup comparisons of the 3rd month and 6th month scores of the MVSS revealed that the scores of all parameters (height, pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and total MVSS score) significantly decreased at the 6th month evaluation as compared with the 3rd month evaluation in all groups (control, silicone, and methylprednisolone groups). Multiple group comparisons at the 6th month revealed that the most prominent improvements occurred in the methylprednisolone group in all MVSS parameters as compared with the control group and in the height, vascularity, and pigmentation parameters as compared with the silicone group. No side effects were experienced by the patients with either treatment and patient satisfaction was higher in the methylprednisolone group. Conclusion: The use of topical methylprednisolone cream in fresh wounds at the postoperative early period appears to be promising.