SynthesisBMJ open2016
Comparing sutures versus staples for skin closure after orthopaedic surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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
40 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 112 citations in OpenAlex.
- Staples versus sutures for skin closure in hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis and systematic review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2021Pooled it
- Pooled it
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- Skin Closure Tape and Surgical Staples in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.BioMed research international · 2020Pooled it
- 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 · 2019Pooled it
- Comparison of surgical wound infection and dehiscence following the use of two methods of nylon sutures and skin staples in staples in diabetic mellitus patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty surgery: a randomized clinical trial study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- Occlusive wound closure prevents prolonged wound discharge-A randomised controlled trial in patients undergoing tumour resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal femur because of metastatic bone disease.International wound journal · 2023Trial
- Evaluation of three methods of suture for skin closure in total knee arthroplasty: a randomized trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Trial
- Tissue adhesive for wound closure in enhanced-recovery total hip arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized and controlled study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Trial
- Evaluation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Guidance for Patients With Spinal Metastasis.Orthopaedic surgery · 2026Review
- Isolated distal fibula fractures can be treated with locking screw plates with an immediate postoperative weight-bearing.Musculoskeletal surgery · 2025Article
- Efficacy and outcomes of surgical staples as an alternative to conventional skin closure in canine mastectomy.PloS one · 2025Article
- Use of Continuous Topical Oxygen Therapy to Treat Lower-Extremity Surgical Wound Dehiscence: A Retrospective Review.Eplasty · 2025Article
- Effect of Silica Nanoparticle Treatment on Adhesion between Tissue-like Substrates and In Vivo Skin Wound Sealing.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2024Article
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- Open fractures: evidence-based best practices.OTA international : the open access journal of orthopaedic trauma · 2024Article
- A Prospective Evaluation for a Possible Safe Skin Bridge in Elective Foot Surgery.Foot & ankle orthopaedics · 2024Article
- Is the risk of wound complications after total hip arthroplasty with suture closing the skin lower than closing the skin with staples?International wound journal · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine whether there still remains a significant advantage in the use of sutures to staples for orthopaedic skin closure in adult patients.
designSystematic Review/ Meta-Analysis. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE-OVID, EMBASE-OVID, CINAHL and Cochrane Library. Grey and unpublished literature was also explored by searching: International Clinical Trial Registry, Grey Matters BIOSIS Previews, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, ClinicalTrials.gov, UK Clinical Trials Gateway, UK Clinical Research Network Study Portfolio, Open Grey, Grey Literature Report, and Web of Science. SELECTION CRITERIA: Articles were from any country, written in English and published after 1950. We included all randomised control trials and observational studies comparing adults (≥ 18 years) undergoing orthopaedic surgery who either received staples or sutures for skin closure. The primary outcome was the incidence of surgical site infection. Secondary outcomes included closure time, inflammation, length of stay, pain, abscess formation, necrosis, discharge, wound dehiscence, allergic reaction and health-related quality of life.
results13 studies were included in our cumulative meta-analysis conducted using Review Manager V.5.0. The risk ratio was computed as a measure of the treatment effect taking into account heterogeneity. Random-effect models were applied. There was no significant difference in infection comparing sutures to staples. The cumulative relative risk was 1.06 (0.46 to 2.44). In addition, there was no difference in infection comparing sutures to staples in hip and knee surgery, respectively. Lastly, except for closure time, there was no significant difference in secondary outcomes comparing sutures to staples.
conclusionsExcept for closure time, there was no significant difference in superficial infection and secondary outcomes comparing sutures to staples was found. Given that there may in fact be no difference in effect between the two skin closure and the methodological limitations of included studies, authors should begin to consider the economic and logistic implications of using staples or sutures for skin closure. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42015017481.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.