SynthesisEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2015
Barbed versus standard sutures in total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Incidence and outcome characteristics of adverse event in surgery: an assessment based on systematic reviews of barbed suture.BMC medical research methodology · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Skin Closure Tape and Surgical Staples in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.BioMed research international · 2020Pooled it
- Barbed sutures in total hip and knee arthroplasty: what is the evidence? A meta-analysis.International orthopaedics · 2016Pooled it
- The use of novel knotless barbed sutures in posterior long-segment lumbar surgery: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2022Trial
- Barbed sutures reduce arthrotomy closure duration compared to interrupted conventional sutures for total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.Musculoskeletal surgery · 2021Trial
- Evaluation of three methods of suture for skin closure in total knee arthroplasty: a randomized trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Trial
- A Modified Strategy Using Barbed Sutures for Wound Closure in Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Self-Controlled Clinical Trial.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2018Trial
- Application of novel knotless barbed sutures in open posterior cervical spine surgery: A prospective cohort study.Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2026Article
- Consensus document on the management of wound closure in orthopaedic surgery.EFORT open reviews · 2025Review
- Article
- Prospective analysis of STRATAFIX™ symmetric PDS plus suture for fascial closure in spinal surgery: a pilot study.Neurosurgical review · 2024Article
- Impact of Whole-Layer Barbed Suture Closure on the Postoperative Effect and Aesthetic Satisfaction with Incision After Knee Arthroplasty.Patient preference and adherence · 2022Article
- Comparing the Water-Tight Closure of Barbed and Conventional Suture Under Static and Dynamic Conditions in an Ex-Vivo Human Knee Arthrotomy Model.Arthroplasty today · 2021Article
- Multilayer Watertight Closure to Address Adverse Events From Primary Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review of Wound Closure Methods by Tissue Layer.Arthroplasty today · 2021Article
- Wound Complications after 2-Octyl Skin Closure Systems for Total Joint Arthroplasty.Journal of bone and joint infection · 2020Article
- Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: Is the Risk of Infection Lower with Sutures than with Staples for Skin Closure After Orthopaedic Surgery? A Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials.Clinical orthopaedics and related research · 2019Article
- Comparison of two different barbed suture materials for end-to-end jejuno-jejunal anastomosis in pigs.Acta veterinaria Scandinavica · 2019Article
- Are Barbed Sutures Associated With 90-day Reoperation Rates After Primary TKA?Clinical orthopaedics and related research · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe use of barbed sutures in various surgical specialities has shown lower operative time and equivalent wound complications. Use of barbed suture in total knee arthroplasty is still at nascent stage with only few studies comparing it with the standard closure techniques. The purpose of this review was to appraise the clinical outcomes of barbed suture use in closure of total knee arthroplasty.
methodsWe searched the Cochrane library, PubMed and EMBASE up to December 2014 for clinical trials comparing the outcomes of closure of total knee arthroplasty with barbed sutures versus standard sutures. When there was no high heterogeneity, we used a fixed effects model. Dichotomous variables were presented as risk ratios (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs), and continuous data were measured as measured differences with 95 % CIs.
resultsFive studies were included, with sample size ranging from 178 to 416. Fixed effect analysis showed that superficial infection was higher with barbed suture (RR 1.54, 95 % CI 0.36-2.59, P = 0.94). The barbed sutures have significantly lower closure time (MI -2.74, CI -3.06, -2.42, P < 0.00001). There was no difference in terms of deep infection, wound dehiscence, arthrofibrosis and total operative time.
conclusionOur meta-analysis showed that the use of barbed sutures was associated with increased superficial infection rate and shorter estimated closure time. More RCTs are needed to examine the efficacy and safety of the barbed sutures.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.