Suture reaction following skin closure with subcuticular polydioxanone in total knee arthroplasty

A retrospective study revealed a 20% incidence of suture reaction following closure of wounds with subcuticular polydioxanone after total knee arthroplasty. In a control group whose wounds were closed with subcuticular polyglycolic acid (Dexon, Davis & Geck, Wayne, NJ), no suture reactions occurred (P = .0012, Fisher's exact test). It is concluded that subcuticular polydioxanone should not be used for skin closure after total knee arthroplasty.