What is it about?

Appropriate superficial fascia suturing is important for eliminating wound tension, however, no body has studied it before. Using ultrasound, we have shown that superficial and deep fascia vary in number & thickness according to body site and, in addition to dermis, they all tend to be thicker in high-tension body areas such as the upper trunk. A surgical approach customized to body site is recommended when applying the subcutaneous sutures.

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Why is it important?

This study is novel in its comprehensiveness and the fact that it provides in vivo information that is more precise than that provided by cadaveric studies. Understanding the anatomical distribution of the superficial & deep fascia will help surgeons optimize subcutaneous fascia suturing, thereby potentially reducing the incidence of surgical-site infections & hypertrophic scars.

Perspectives

Ultimately, this research could yield a novel ultrasound device software/hardware as a diagnostic tool that uses fascia characteristics as a surrogate marker for tension to identify “hot spots” with abnormally high tension. In addition to surgeons perspective, this article may also increase our understanding of the diseases that involve the fasciae, including inflammatory, infectious, and musculoskeletal diseases.

Diya' Hammoudeh
American University of Beirut

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This page is a summary of: In Vivo Analysis of the Superficial and Deep Fascia, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, August 2022, Wolters Kluwer Health,
DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000009631.
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