Comparison Between Absorbable Staples And Metal Staples For Primary Closure Of Skin In Patients Undergoing Head And Neck Cancer Surgery A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

PURPOSE newlineTo evaluate the efficacy of absorbable subcuticular staples with metal newlinepercutaneous staples as a mean of incision closure in oral carcinoma patients newlinewho are undergoing PMMC flap as a source of reconstruction. newlineMATERIALS AND METHODS newlineWe conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study of 14 patients newlinewho were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma and who required PMMC newlineflap as a source of reconstruction. The patients were divided into 2 groups, an newlineexperimental group (n =7) who received absorbable subcuticular staples for newlineclosure of the incision site and, a control group (n =7) who received newlinepercutaneous metal staples. Quality of incision closure was compared on day 1, newlineday 15 and day 30 post surgery using Wound Evaluation Scale. Aesthetic newlineoutcome of the scar was assessed on the 30 newlineth postoperative day both by the newlinepatient and an observer using the POSAS scale. newlineRESULTS newlineStatistical analysis of the data indicated not much difference in the newlineoptimal wound healing scores of the incision between the study and control newlinegroup of day 1, day 15 and day 30. Based on the statistical analysis of the newlinepatient and observer scar assessment scale scores, the aesthetic outcome of newlinethe scar was better in patients in the absorbable subcuticular staple group. newlineCONCLUSION newlineThe results of our study suggest that absorbable subcuticular staples newlinecould be used as an alternative to the metal staples in head and neck cancer newlinesurgery as they offer similar results to metal staples in terms of quality of incision newlineclosure and aesthetic outcome. newline newline