Absorbable vs Non-Absorbable sutures in Emergency/Trauma Hand Surgery
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Non absorbable vs Absorbable sutures in Trauma Hand Surgery– Does Choice of Suture Material Impact wound healing, complication rates or patient symptoms?
IRAS ID
328761
Contact name
Benjamin Miranda
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Hand surgery can be divided into elective and emergency. Elective surgery is planned surgery due to a non trauma related hand condition.
Emergency/trauma hand surgery is related to post injury surgery to the hand. For the purposes of our study we will focus only on emergency/trauma related hand surgery. Both absorbable and non absorbable sutures (stitches) are used in emergency hand surgery, however there is a lack of consensus on which suture material is better for patients.The aim of the study would be to randomise emergency hand surgery patients into an absorbable (dissolving) and non absorbable (non-dissolving) group.
The two treatment groups are:
Emergency hand surgery, absorbable suture skin closure
Emergency hand surgery, non-absorbable suture skin closureThese patients would then be followed up in dressing clinic, where their wounds would be photographed with consent, and any evidence of wound infection, wound inflammation, wound breakdown, functional recovery and scar appearance would be recorded. A validated and non-validated questionnaire on patient symptoms would also be completed at 1 week post op, and 6-8 weeks post op.
By measuring the patient symptoms, complications, and appearance of the patient's hand surgery scars at two points in time, a reliable comparison can be made between the two suture material types.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0611
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jul 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion