Validated Outcome Measures and Postsurgical Scar Assessment Instruments in Auricular Surgery: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The utilization of an assessment instrument that successfully analyzes validated outcome measures for auricular surgery is important for advancing evidence-based medicine. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review postsurgical scar assessment instruments and outcome measures after auricular surgery to assess if any individual or combination of 2 assessment instruments encompass all relevant, validated auricular outcome measures. METHODS: Two systematic reviews were conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE and Ovid databases: one for postauricular surgical outcome measures and another for postsurgical scar assessment instruments. Auricular outcome measure articles were selected for inclusion if they included at least one auricular-specific validated outcome measure, and assessment tool articles were included if they referenced one or more specific tool(s) specifically designed to assess postsurgical scars. Assessment tools were evaluated based on which outcome measures each covered. RESULTS: There was no single postsurgical scar assessment instrument or combination of 2 instruments that covered all outcome measures within the 5 different categories (psychosocial well-being, functional, objective appearance, subjective appearance, and clinical-related outcomes) after auricular surgery. None of the instruments measured functional outcomes, such as the ability to wear glasses and hearing outcomes. CONCLUSION: There is currently no existing postsurgical scar assessment instrument that covers all outcome measures after auricular surgery.

Validated Outcome Measures and Postsurgical Scar Assessment Instruments in Eyelid Surgery: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Determining which postsurgical scar assessment instruments, if any, cover important eyelid outcome measures can either attest to the strength of one or more instruments or reveal the need for a more comprehensive scale. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review validated outcome measures after eyelid surgery and postsurgical scar assessment tools to see whether any individual or combination of 2 assessment tools encompass all relevant, validated eyelid outcome measures. METHODS: Systematic reviews of validated eyelid outcome measures and postsurgical scar assessment tools were conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and Ovid. Outcome measure papers that met inclusion criteria were sorted into 8 categories: Patient Subjective, Visual Function, Mechanical Function, Daily Activities, Adverse Effects, Aesthetic Quantitative: Clinical Measurements, Aesthetic Qualitative: Global, and Aesthetic Qualitative: Specific. Outcome measure papers were categorized into tiers of evidence support, and assessment tools were evaluated based on which outcome measures each covered. RESULTS: No one or combination of 2 assessment tools covered all selected eyelid outcome measures. Although measures related to the subjective patient experience were included in several of the assessment scales, none covered measures of visual function or eyelid-specific clinical measurements. CONCLUSION: There is currently no existing postsurgical scar assessment instrument that covers all important eyelid-specific outcome measures.