title: The long-term follow-up results of external dacryocystorhinostomy skin incision scar with "W incision".
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of "W incision" instead of classical vertical incision at external DCR on scar formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) who were treated with external DCR with classical vertical incision, and patients who were treated with external DCR with "W incision" were included in the study. The first 39 eyes were operated with a vertical incision, and the remaining 37 eyes were operated with a "W incision". All the skin incision scars of the patients were assessed and scored by at least the 6th month. The assessment was made by both the patients themselves, and by an ophthalmologist other than the surgeon himself, each scored the incision scar separately (single-masked study). Scores for both groups were compared, and statistical analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-assessment scores for the incision scar were Grade 2.28 ± 0.94 in the Vertical incision group, and Grade 1.68 ± 0.57 in the "W incision" group (p < 0.01). The "W incision" scar formation was significantly less noticable than the Vertical incision scar formation. Similarly, the assessment scores of the ophthalmologist other than the surgeon himself were significantly lower for the "W incision" group than for the Vertical incision group. The mean scar assessment scores were Grade 2.13 ± 0.95 in the Vertical incision group, and Grade 1.57 ± 0.68 in the "W incision" group (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skin scar tissue was found to be significantly reduced with a "W incision" in external DCR operations.
authors: Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Kafkas , Kars , Turkey .
authors: Metin
authors: M
authors: Ekinci
authors: Halil Hüseyin
authors: HH
authors: Çağatay
authors: Mehmet Ersin
authors: ME
authors: Oba
authors: Zeliha
authors: Z
authors: Yazar
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Kaplan
authors: Gökçen
authors: G
authors: Gökçe
authors: Sadullah
authors: S
authors: Keleş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy / Q000379:methods*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult