Absorbable sutures reduce pain without compromising wound healing in open clinic hand surgery

This prospective cohort study aimed to compare absorbable and non-absorbable sutures in the context of open clinic hand surgery, focusing on postoperative wound infection, dehiscence, patient-reported pain during dressing or suture removal, and healthcare time utilization during follow-up.

A total of 270 adult patients undergoing minor hand procedures in an outpatient surgical setting were enrolled. Patients were alternately assigned, on a biweekly basis, to receive either 5-0 polyglactin 910 (Vicryl Rapid®, Ethicon®) or 5-0 monofilament nylon (Ethilon®, Ethicon®) for skin closure. Wounds were assessed at a standardized two-week postoperative follow-up by trained nursing staff. The presence of wound infection or dehiscence was documented. The time required for inspection and dressing, or suture removal was recorded in minutes. Pain during dressing or suture removal was evaluated by patients using a visual analog scale (VAS).

At follow-up, no significant difference was observed in infection rates between the two groups, with one case in each group requiring antibiotic treatment (p = 1.0). Superficial wound dehiscence occurred in 13 patients in the absorbable suture group and 11 in the non-absorbable group (p = 0.390), with no cases requiring reoperation. Median time spent on wound care during the follow-up visit was five minutes in both groups. However, patients in the absorbable suture group reported significantly lower pain scores on the VAS compared to those with non-absorbable sutures (p < 0.001).

Absorbable sutures offer a safe alternative to non-absorbable sutures in outpatient hand surgery, providing equivalent outcomes in terms of wound healing while significantly reducing discomfort during follow-up care. These findings support the use of absorbable sutures as a patient-friendly option in ambulatory hand surgical practice. Trial registration number The study was pre-registered on ClinicalTrials.gov 2021-02-26. (identifier: NCT04812275).

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