Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Dec;26(6):693-9.
doi: 10.5021/ad.2014.26.6.693. Epub 2014 Nov 26.

Impact of postthyroidectomy scar on the quality of life of thyroid cancer patients

Yuri Choi  1 , Ji Hye Lee  1 , Yeon Hee Kim  2 , Yong Sang Lee  3 , Hang-Seok Chang  3 , Cheong Soo Park  3 , Mi Ryung Roh  1
Affiliations

Impact of postthyroidectomy scar on the quality of life of thyroid cancer patients

Yuri Choi et al. Ann Dermatol. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Surgical scars are crucial cosmetic problem, especially when in exposed areas such as the anterior neck following thyroidectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of post-thyroidectomy scars on quality of life (QoL) of thyroid cancer patients and identify the relationship between scar characteristics and QoL.

Methods: Patients with post-thyroidectomy scars on the neck were recruited. QoL was measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Scar characteristics were graded according to Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score.

Results: Ninety-seven patients completed a battery of questions at the time of enrollment. Post-thyroidectomy scars were classified according to morphology as linear flat scars, linear bulging scars, hypertrophic scars or adhesive scars. There were 32 patients (33.0%), 9 patients (9.3%), 41 patients (42.3%) and 15 patients (15.5%), respectively, in each group. The mean total DLQI score was 9.02. Domain 2 (daily activities, 2.87 points), which includes questions about clothing, was the most greatly impacted among patients. The total DLQI scores of patients who have experienced scar-related symptoms were significantly higher than those of patients without symptoms (p<0.05). The VSS scores were 3.09 for linear flat scars, 6.89 for linear bulging scars, 6.29 for hypertrophic scars and 5.60 for adhesive scars. However, the DLQI scores did not significantly differ among scar types or VSS scores.

Conclusion: Post-thyroidectomy scars on the neck affect the QoL of thyroid cancer patients regardless of scar type. Therefore, clinicians should pay attention to the psychological effects of scars on patients and take care to minimize post-thyroidectomy scar.

Keywords: Dermatology life quality index; Post-surgical scar; Quality of life; Scar; Thyroidectomy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Classification of postthyroidectomy scars. (A) Linear flat scar. (B) Linear bulging scar. (C) Hypertrophic scar. (D) Adhesive scar.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Vancouver scar scale according to the type of scar.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Mean score of each item of the Dermatology Life Quality Index.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Han MA, Choi KS, Lee HY, Kim Y, Jun JK, Park EC. Current status of thyroid cancer screening in Korea: results from a nationwide interview survey. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2011;12:1657–1663. - PubMed
    1. Duncan TD, Rashid Q, Speights F, Ejeh I. Transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy: an alternative to traditional open thyroidectomy. J Natl Med Assoc. 2009;101:783–787. - PubMed
    1. Balci DD, Inandi T, Dogramaci CA, Celik E. DLQI scores in patients with keloids and hypertrophic scars: a prospective case control study. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2009;7:688–692. - PubMed
    1. Finlay AY, Khan GK. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)--a simple practical measure for routine clinical use. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1994;19:210–216. - PubMed
    1. Jin-gang A, Sheng-xiang X, Sheng-bin X, Jun-min W, Song-mei G, Ying-ying D, et al. Quality of life of patients with scabies. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010;24:1187–1191. - PubMed