Oral Isotretinoin in the Treatment of Postoperative Edema in Thick-Skinned Rhinoplasty: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: The thick-skinned nose is still one of the most challenging aspects of rhinoplasty. The possible effects of oral isotretinoin on cosmetic results of rhinoplasty in patients with thick nasal skin have been considered during recent years.

Methods: In this double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 48 cases were divided into two groups randomly. Oral isotretinoin (0.5-mg/kg) was started on the 31st day after surgery and given every other day for 1 month and after that daily for two additional months in the first group. The second group received a placebo in the same form, sequence and interval as the first group. The cosmetic results based on patient satisfaction and ranking by an expert surgeon were compared between the two groups at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after surgery.

Results: Patient satisfaction and ranking by an expert surgeon in the isotretinoin group at 3 months and 6 months after surgery were significantly better than in the placebo group (p value < 0.05); however, at 12 months after surgery there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p value > 0.05).

Conclusion: Though postoperative use of oral isotretinoin in patients with thick nasal skin accelerates improvement in cosmetic results during the early months after surgery, it does not significantly affect the final cosmetic result 1 year after surgery.

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