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Perioperative Closure-related Complication Rates and Cost Analysis of Barbed Suture for Closure in TKA

  • Symposium: Papers Presented at the Annual Meetings of The Knee Society
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

The use of barbed suture for surgical closure has been associated with lower operative times, equivalent wound complication rate, and comparable cosmesis scores in the plastic surgery literature. Similar studies would help determine whether this technology is associated with low complication rates and reduced operating times for orthopaedic closures.

Questions/purposes

We compared a running barbed suture with an interrupted standard suture technique for layered closure in primary TKA to determine if the barbed suture would be associated with (1) shorter estimated closure times; (2) lower cost; and (3) similar closure-related perioperative complication rates.

Methods

We retrospectively compared two-layered closure techniques in primary TKA with either barbed or knotted sutures. The barbed group consisted of 104 primary TKAs closed with running barbed suture. The standard group consisted of 87 primary TKAs closed with interrupted suture. Cost analysis was based on cost of suture and operating room time. Clinical records were assessed for closure-related complications within the 6-week perioperative period.

Results

Average estimated closure time was 2.3 minutes shorter with the use of barbed suture. The total closure cost was similar between the groups. The closure-related perioperative complication rates were similar between the groups.

Conclusions

Barbed suture is associated with a slightly shorter estimated closure time, although this small difference is of questionable clinical importance. With similar overall cost and no difference in perioperative complications in primary TKA, this closure methodology has led to more widespread use at our institution.

Level of Evidence

Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Greg Stoddard for his assistance with the statistical analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, 590 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Jeremy M. Gililland MD, Lucas A. Anderson MD, Grant Sun BS, Jill A. Erickson PA-C & Christopher L. Peters MD

Authors
  1. Jeremy M. Gililland MD
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  2. Lucas A. Anderson MD
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  3. Grant Sun BS
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  4. Jill A. Erickson PA-C
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  5. Christopher L. Peters MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher L. Peters MD.

Additional information

All authors certify that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request.

Each author certifies that his or her institution approved the human protocol for this investigation and that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.

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Gililland, J.M., Anderson, L.A., Sun, G. et al. Perioperative Closure-related Complication Rates and Cost Analysis of Barbed Suture for Closure in TKA. Clin Orthop Relat Res 470, 125–129 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-2104-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-2104-7

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