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In search of the optimal wound dressing material following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

International Orthopaedics volume 41, pages 1295–1305 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Various types of dressing materials are available for wound care following hip and knee arthroplasty. However, it is unclear if one material is more beneficial than the others in terms of wound complications and fluid handling capacity.

Research questions

We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing alternative wound dressing materials for the post-operative management of wounds following THA and TKA with respect to (1) incidence of wound complications including infection and (2) fluid handling capacity.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials comparing alternative dressing materials, for post-operative management of wounds following TKA and THA were included in the review. Databases searched included the MEDLINE and the EMBASE from inception to February 2017. Two authors performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. Where levels of clinical and statistical heterogeneity permitted, data were pooled for meta-analysis.

Results

Twelve randomized trials with data for the primary outcome were identified. Data were available for meta-analysis for two comparisons. Wounds managed with film dressings (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21–0.57) or with hydrofiber dressings (odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20–0.40) were significantly less likely to have wound complications than those managed with passive dressings. There was no evidence that any dressing significantly reduced surgical-site infection rates compared with any other dressing. Hydrofibre dressings showed better fluid handling capacity than passive dressings in terms of mean number of dressing changes (mean difference 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15–2.57) and number of patients requiring early dressing change (odds ratio, 8.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.68–15.83).

Conclusion

The evidence available in the current literature suggests that advanced dressings such as film and Hydrofibre dressings have fewer wound complications and better fluid handling capacity. However, insufficient evidence is available to determine whether the use of these advanced dressings reduce periprosthetic joint infection.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Knee Surgery and Sports Medicine, Joint Reconstruction Centre, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 166 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul, 463-707, Republic of Korea

    Gaurav Sharma, Sang Wook Lee, Oliver Atanacio & Tae Kyun Kim

  2. Sidney Kimmel School of Medicine, The Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Sheridan Building, Suite 1000, 125 S 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Javad Parvizi

Authors
  1. Gaurav Sharma
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  2. Sang Wook Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tae Kyun Kim.

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Conflict of interest statement

Gaurav Sharma: No conflict of interest with this work.

Sang Wook Lee: No conflict of interest with this work.

Oliver Atanacio: No conflict of interest with this work.

T.K. Kim: Consultant for: Smith & Nephew, B.Braun-Aesculap.

J. Parvizi: Board membership Journal of Arthroplasty, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Bone and Joint Journal, Philadelphia Orthopaedic Society, Eastern Orthopaedic Association, CD Diagnostics, Muller Foundation, 3 M; Consultant for Zimmer, Smith & Nephew, ConvaTec, TissueGene, CeramTec, Medtronic; Royalties from Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Slack, Datatrace, Jaypee Publishers; Stock options - Intellectual properties: Hip Innovation Technologies, CD Diagnostics, PRN.

This work was performed at the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

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Sharma, G., Lee, S.W., Atanacio, O. et al. In search of the optimal wound dressing material following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 41, 1295–1305 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3484-4

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Keywords

  • Dressings
  • Total hip arthroplasty
  • Total knee arthroplasty
  • Wound complications