PANACHE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Pilot randomised trial comparing two forms of Absorbable versus Non-Absorbable sutures for Carpal tunnel Hand surgEry
IRAS ID
323433
Contact name
Luca Lancerotto
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of pain, weakness and numbness in the hand due to a nerve being compressed at the wrist under a thick ligament.
Surgery to release the ligament can reduce pressure on the nerve, improve symptoms and preserve hand function. After surgery, wounds are closed with sutures. Usually, patients visit the hospital or their GP to remove these sutures, because they are not absorbed. Suture removal is uncomfortable for many patients and needs additional visits to the hospital. Other types of sutures do not need to be removed because they are absorbed by the body.
Doctors are uncertain whether absorbable sutures are as good as sutures that are not absorbed for healing, scarring, and recovery after carpal tunnel surgery.
We propose to compare two types of absorbable sutures with regular non-absorbable sutures in a randomised trial. We have received funding from the Chief Scientist Office Scotland to carry out a feasibility pilot study with 150 patients who have carpal tunnel surgery. It will show if doctors and patients are willing to take part in such a trial, and will help improve the quality and completeness of the data we would collect in a larger definitive trial. We will use this information to support a funding application for a larger trial in which we will show whether regular or absorbable sutures are best.REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
23/SS/0054
Date of REC Opinion
17 May 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion