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NCT Number: NCT07741591

Impact of Perioperative Antibiotic Use on Surgical Scarring

This retrospective observational cohort study will evaluate whether perioperative antibiotic use is associated with long-term surgical scar outcomes. The study will include adult patients who underwent body surface surgery at Nanfang Hospital between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2025 and have available surgical, medication, and scar-related clinical records.

The study will not assign participants to any treatment. Researchers will review existing medical records, perioperative antibiotic exposure, surgical characteristics, complications, and scar assessments or photographs. Scar outcomes will be assessed using modified visual analogue scale scores, scar width, scar type, and scar-related complications.

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Key information

Conditions

Surgical Scar Postoperative Scar

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 years or older.
  • Underwent body surface surgery at Nanfang Hospital between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2025, with a linear surgical incision scar.
  • Presented to the Department of Plastic Surgery at Nanfang Hospital for surgical scar-related care.
  • Had no medical encounter record at Nanfang Hospital from January 1, 2025 to the time of study screening.
  • Available clear surgical records and perioperative medication records.

Exclusion criteria

  • Known tendency for pathological scarring or scar constitution.
  • History of chronic skin disease in the surgical area, such as psoriasis or eczema.
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, hypoalbuminemia, or long-term use of immunosuppressive agents or glucocorticoids.
  • Target scar received any scar-specific treatment after surgery, such as laser therapy, radiotherapy, drug injection, or surgical revision.

Treatment and study plan

Perioperative Antibiotic Exposure

Other

Patterns of perioperative antibiotic use documented in existing medical records, including timing, indication, antibiotic type, duration, frequency, and route of administration. No antibiotic treatment will be assigned or provided by the study.

Primary outcomes

  1. Overall Scar Appearance Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam

    Overall scar appearance will be evaluated from scar photographs by three blinded physicians or trained study personnel using a modified visual analogue scale. Scores range from 1 to 10, with 1 indicating appearance similar to normal skin and 10 indicating the worst imaginable scar appearance.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Scar Color Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam

    Scar color will be evaluated from scar photographs by three blinded physicians or trained study personnel using a modified visual analogue scale. Scores range from 1 to 10, with lower scores indicating color more similar to normal skin and higher scores indicating worse scar color.

  2. Scar Texture Score Assessed Using a Modified Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam

    Scar texture will be evaluated from scar photographs by three blinded physicians or trained study personnel using a modified visual analogue scale. Scores range from 1 to 10, with lower scores indicating texture more similar to normal skin and higher scores indicating worse scar texture.

  3. Scar Width

    Time frame: Scar photographs were taken during postoperative clinical follow-up, with an overall range from 3 months to 20 years after surgery. Given the wide span, the assessments will be stratified and reported according to the actual time of photography, for exam

    Scar width will be calculated from scar photographs by outlining the scar boundary and using ImageJ to measure scar area and scar length. Scar width will be calculated as scar area divided by scar length.

  4. Scar-Related Complications

    Time frame: Postoperative days 0 to 30 (inclusive). The timing of each complication was determined from medical records.

    Scar-related complications will be identified from medical records and scar assessments, including wound dehiscence, suture reaction, necrosis, hematoma, infection, persistent itching, persistent pain, and sensory abnormalities.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Gaofeng Wang, Principal Investigator

CONTACT

[email protected]

+86 13242749806

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Perioperative Antibiotic Use and Its Impact on Postoperative Scarring: A Retrospective Study

Acronym: PASS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Aug 3, 2026
Registry last updated
Aug 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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