Preventing traction suture skin indentation in oculofacial surgery

Abstract

In oculofacial surgery, traction sutures are often used to maintain tissue exposure, but they can cause temporary skin indentations or erythema, impacting patient satisfaction. This article presents a simple technique to mitigate these effects by repurposing the adhesive foam packaging from soft dissectors as a cushioning platform. The foam is applied to the patient's forehead, allowing the sutures to rest on it instead of directly on the skin, distributing pressure more evenly. This method effectively reduces skin marks, enhances postoperative aesthetics, is cost-effective, and seamlessly integrates into surgical workflows without increasing operative time. Given its simplicity and effectiveness, this approach can be applied in various surgical settings beyond oculofacial procedures.