Transverse submammary skin incision for congenital cardiac surgery

Submammary skin incision has been accepted as cosmetic approach for open heart surgery. During November 1990 to February 1995, 39 ASD patients under 15 years old were operated with either median or submammary skin incision in Okayama University Medical School. For these patients, retrospective study was carried out to determine whether submammary skin incision made surgical procedure complex and whether patients were satisfied with the scar by submammary skin incision. There were 14 submammary skin incision (Group S) and 25 median skin incision (Group M). There was no significant difference in patients profile between the two groups except for sex. Operative time, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamp time had no significant difference between the two groups. Postoperative ICU stay and hospital stay also did not differed between the two groups. Questionnaires for evaluation of the subjective operation scar was sent with 32 answers (82%). There was no significant difference on questionnaire findings. However for the patients without hypertrophic scar, more patients in Group S were significantly satisfied with their scars. Submammary skin incision was safe and easy. It could be alternative of median skin incision. If hypertrophic scar formation could be prevented, more patients would be satisfied with submammary skin incision than median skin incision.