Surgical staples:-A superior alternative to sutures for skin closure after neck dissection:-A single-blindprospective randomized clinical study

Publication date: Available online 12 August 2017
Source:Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): Shrenik Oswal, Rajiv Borle, Nitin Bhola, Anendd Jadhav, Sanidhya Surana, Rajesh Oswal
PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of staples in skin closure following neck dissection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. We hypothesize that use of staples results in better wound closure, when compared with non-absorbable monofilament sutures.MethodsA prospective single blind, randomized clinical trial was performed to compare various parameters including time taken, inflammatory changes, pain, cost efficacy, complications and esthetic outcome of skin closure with surgical staples and non-absorbable monofilament sutures and to determine its statistical significance using chi- square and Mann Whitney U tests.ResultIn a study of 124 patients the mean skin closure time was 29.2+4 mins with sutures (n=61) and 5.3 + 1.29 mins with staples (n=63), which was significant (p=.01).The mean pain scores during removal using visual analogue scale (VAS) were 5.08+1.29 and 3.15+ 0.89 with sutures and staples, respectively. Post-operative complications, like gaping and stitch abscess with purulent discharge, were noted.ConclusionStaples provided better esthetics with fewer complications, faster closure, minimal pain on removal and faster healing when compared to sutures. The slowest closure time in staples group was four times faster than the fastest closure time in sutures group. However, staples cost five times more than sutures.



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