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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg 2024; 57(06): 421-431
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1787175
Meta-Analysis

Prospects for Use of Botulinum Toxin Type A for Prevention of Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars after Surgeries

Natalia Korableva
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
,
Nikolay Romanenkov 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
,
Dmitriy Kremlev
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
,
Andrei Nekrasov
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
,
Maksim Miroshnichenko
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
,
Peter Arbekov
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Abstract

Objective To evaluate the possibility of improving and preventing the formation of postoperative hypertrophic and keloid scars using botulinum toxin type A (BTA).

Materials and Methods Scientific articles published in English have been systematically screened in PubMed/MEDLINE database over the entire period. The following information about the studies was analyzed: first author surname; year of publication; number of patients; average age; scar location; dosage of the drug administered; follow-up duration; scar assessment methods; results, incidence of hypertrophic and keloid scars formation. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated for each of the estimated parameters. The statistical heterogeneity of publications assessed using the criteria of chi-square test and I 2. The differences were considered significant at p < 0.05.

Results A total of 18 prospective randomized studies were selected for evaluation, containing data on the use of BTA in 363 cases. Patients receiving botulinum toxin had a lower Vancouver scar scale index, higher visual analog scale index, and higher Stony Brook scar evaluation scale score. The use of BTA reduces the risk of perceptible scar formation, the incidence of hypertrophic and keloid scars.

Conclusion The use of BTA to obtain imperceptible scar and prevent hypertrophic and keloid postoperative scars demonstrates good prospects. However, there is no consensus regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the positive effect of BTA on the prevention of hypertrophic and keloid scars.

Keywords

botulinum toxin type A - scar - hypertrophic scars - keloid scars - prevention of pathological scars


Publication History

Article published online:
05 June 2024

© 2024. Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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