Evaluation of Continuous Z-Plasty Technique for Linear Scar Repair on the Face: A Retrospective Analysis.

Only 21 patients were studied, all from one department and all treated by the same surgeon, so results may not generalize. There was no control group or randomization, and patients were assigned by clinical judgment, so improvement cannot be compared with direct closure or other scar treatments. The paper gives two different average follow-up times, 18 months and 10 months. The paper reports primary closure without complications and also reports one postoperative site infection 3 months after surgery, so safety reporting is not fully consistent. The paper excludes keloids, scars not stable for at least 6 months, and patients with incomplete treatment or loss to follow-up, so it does not address those groups. The authors note that dissatisfied patients may have been less likely to return, which could overestimate satisfaction and success rates. The supplied text does not report funding or conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude continuous Z-plasty alone caused the improvements. The study had no control group, and patients also received local anesthesia, postoperative dressings, erythromycin eye ointment, and silicone gel twice daily for at least 3 months, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated.