Nasal tip abscess due to adverse skin reaction to Prolene: an unusual long term complication of rhinoplasty.

Objectives: Allergic reactions to Prolene are rare. This paper reports a nasal tip abscess which developed in a patient with an adverse skin reaction to Prolene after rhinoplasty. Methods and results: A 26-year-old woman presented with painful, progressive nasal tip swelling and redness. She had undergone septo-rhinoplasty two years previously. She was initially treated with endonasal drainage of the abscess and antibiotics, but a revision rhinoplasty three months later became necessary because of recurrent abscess formation. Intra-operative findings included granulation tissue with pockets of pus and knotted Prolene sutures at the tip-defining points of the lower lateral cartilages. She was patch-tested with Prolene and a cutaneous Prolene suture was placed on her back; an adverse skin reaction was seen for the latter. Conclusion: Use of non-absorbable sutures, such as Prolene, in the subcutaneous layer may be a potential, rare risk factor for adverse skin reactions.