Skin Adhesive Tapes: An Effective Wound Closure Method for Percutaneous Vertebral Body Stenting

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
• Wound Management
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Skin adhesive tapes (SATs) are commonly used for percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) wound closure.
• Vertebral body stenting (VBS) involves larger incisions than PVP, increasing risks of bleeding and wound complications.
• Evaluating SATs for VBS wound closure is crucial due to its increased invasiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the outcomes and complications of using SATs for VBS wound closure.
• To identify reasons for converting VBS wound closure from SATs to conventional suture closure (SC).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 36 patients undergoing VBS from May 2019 to March 2021.
• Data collected on wound closure method (SAT vs. SC), reasons for SC, and postoperative complications.
• Wound healing and cosmesis assessed at follow-up visits up to one year.

Main Results:

• SAT closure was used in 91.6% of patients; SC in 8.3%.
• Unplanned conversion to SC occurred in 5.5% due to bleeding; 97.0% of SAT closures were uneventful.
• No SAT-closed wounds showed infection, dehiscence, or significant complications; all healed completely with good cosmesis.

Conclusions:

• SATs are a safe and reliable option for VBS wound closure.
• Conversion to SC is rarely necessary for VBS, primarily due to intraoperative bleeding.
• SATs provide excellent wound healing and cosmetic results in VBS patients.