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Rosen et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2016;3:296-301 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2016.40
Aesthetic Research

www.parjournal.net
Original Article Open Access

Photometric analysis of absorbable barbed

suture for periareolar closure in mastopexy

Allen D. Rosen , Alanna M. Guzman , Teresa Hartman 3
1,3
2
1 Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospital, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
2 Department of General Surgery, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00936, USA.
3 The Plastic Surgery Group, Montclair, NJ 07042, USA.
Correspondence to: Dr. Allen D. Rosen, 37 North Fullerton Ave., Montclair, NJ 07042, USA. E-mail: arosen@psg1.com
How to cite this article: Rosen AD, Guzman AM, Hartman T. Photometric analysis of absorbable barbed suture for periareolar closure in
mastopexy. Plast Aesthet Res 2016;3:296-301.

Dr. Allen D. Rosen is a distinguished spokesperson for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. After finishing
his surgical training at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Rosen relocated to New Jersey
where he became Founding partner and Medical director of the Plastic Surgery Group and North Fullerton Surgery
Center, private group practices, in Montclair, NJ. In addition, he is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department
of Plastic Surgery at University Hospital in Newark, NJ. He holds licenses to practice in New York, New Jersey and
Florida and is widely recognized as an expert in techniques utilizing barbed suture in plastic surgery.

ABSTRACT

Article history: Aim: The primary author previously described his technique for periareolar closure in mastopexy using
Received: 26-05-2016 a pinwheel interlocking purse string with absorbable barbed suture and now reports the results of a
®
Accepted: 24-08-2016 retrospective photometric analysis comparing this technique with the same closure using Gortex suture.
Published: 20-09-2016 This study is designed to compare the degree of areolar widening and safety profile of using absorbable
barbed sutures for periareolar closure versus permanent smooth suture. Methods: A retrospective chart
review was conducted of all patients whose periareolar closures were performed using an interlocking
Key words: purse-string technique over a 10-year period. Only patients undergoing circumvertical mastopexy were
Mastopexy, included. All had photometric evaluation and follow-up performed within 6-24 months. Results: In total,
periareolar, 20 patients (40 areolas), which were closed with absorbable barbed suture, were analyzed photometrically.
absorbable barbed suture, In this suture group, areola size increased a mean of 4.9% from baseline, and no complications (0%)
TM
Quill suture, were observed. This compared favorably with previously reported complication rates using permanent
purse-string, sutures and with a series of cases presented herein in which permanent smooth suture was used for
circumvertical, purse string closure. The degree to which absorbable barbed suture controls areolar spread was shown
permanent expanded to be significantly better than those where permanent smooth purse string techniques were employed.
polytetrafluoroethylene suture, Conclusion: Circumvertical mastopexy closures using absorbable barbed suture was shown to be safe
GORE-TEX suture, and effective and compared favorably to older techniques using permanent smooth suture for similar
®
breast lift closures. This paper lends support to the safety of using absorbable barbed suture in circumareolar
closures to limit areolar spread.
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