Barbed suture use has been gaining increased acceptance and has been reported to offer potential advantages in wound closure of hip and knee replacement surgeries. The goal of this study is to compare joint replacement patient outcomes who receive a knotless barbed suture versus a traditional suture (randomized into two arms). The traditional suture used at our joint replacement program is defined as: interrupted sutures to close the retinaculum followed by running monocryl sutures for skin closure. Both knotless barbed suture and the traditional sutures have similar suture size. Patient outcomes examined will be patient range of motion (recorded daily) and complications with wound healing (evaluated periodically in-person at post-operative visits). Secondary outcomes examined will include wound drainage on dressings by surface area and weight, as well as the wound cosmesis and perceived presence of subcutaneous surgical knots.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
1,000
Number of soft tissue infections
evaluation of wound infection after surgery, number of patients with wound infection based on clinical examination
Time frame: 12 weeks
use of antibiotics to treat infection, recorded by number
record whether antibiotics used for suspicion or treatment of superficial infection, number of episodes recorded
Time frame: 12 weeks
measurement of incision drainage, measured in grams and mm surface area
evaluation of incision drainage based on dressing saturation size and weight, measured in grams for weight, and measured by surface area mm
Time frame: 2 weeks
assessment of quality of incision closure, recorded by time and number
record delayed healing and reported by time, suture rejection based on number of episodes
Time frame: 12 weeks
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