Using the SCAR-Q to Evaluate Morbidity of Scars in Craniosynostosis Repair.

Abstract

Objective: While previous literature has investigated the psychosocial impact and aesthetic satisfaction associated with post-operative scarring for certain pediatric craniofacial conditions, the impact of the scar burden resulting from craniosynostosis surgery has not been adequately studied.

Participants: SCAR-Q was shared with patients ages 8 and older. Thirty-two complete patient responses were recorded.

Interventions: SCAR-Q is a PROM that consists of three independent scales - appearance, symptoms, and psychosocial impact - associated with a scar.

Main outcome measures: Mann-Whitney U, linear regression, and Pearson correlation tests were used to evaluate associations between the scales, in addition to patient characteristics such as sex and suture involvement.

Results: Mean ages at time of surgery and survey completion were 9.65 ± 10.10 months and 12.10 ± 3.92 years, respectively. Mean scale scores were 81.5 ± 17.9 for appearance, 86.8 ± 12.4 for symptoms, and 79.3 ± 25.7 for psychosocial impact. Higher patient dissatisfaction with scar appearance correlated with more scar-related symptoms (r = 0.389; p = 0.028) and a greater psychosocial impact (r = 0.725; p < 0.001). SCAR-Q scales did not significantly correlate with age at surgery, age at survey completion, type of synostosis, or type of surgery; however, female patients reported lower mean appearance (65.4 vs. 86.0; p = 0.012) and psychosocial impact (57.3 vs. 85.5; p = 0.010) scores when compared to their male counterparts.

Conclusions: It is vital that surgeons discuss patients' aesthetic satisfaction following craniosynostosis surgery in order to appropriately address and limit deleterious, long-term physical and psychosocial outcomes.