Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34232372›Full record

SynthesisLangenbeck's archives of surgery2022

Sutures versus clips for skin closure following caesarean section: a systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Shafquat Zaman, Ali Yasen Y Mohamedahmed, Elizabeth Peterknecht, Reza Md Zakaria, Saeed Y Y Mohamedahmed, Shahab Hajibandeh, Shahin Hajibandeh

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Shafquat ZamanDepartment of General Surgery, Sandwell and West, Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Ali Yasen Y MohamedahmedDepartment of General Surgery, Sandwell and West, Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Elizabeth PeterknechtDepartment of General Surgery, Sandwell and West, Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK. elizabeth.peterknecht1@nhs.net.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2848-8848
Reza Md ZakariaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Glangwili General Hospital, Carmarthenshire, UK.
Saeed Y Y MohamedahmedDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Atbara Teaching Hospital, Atbara, Sudan.
Shahab HajibandehDepartment of General Surgery, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, Denbighshire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3294-4335
Shahin HajibandehDepartment of General Surgery, Wye Valley NHS Trust, Hereford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6159-1068

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo evaluate comparative outcomes of skin closure with clips and sutures after caesarean section (CS).

methodsWe conducted a systematic search of electronic information sources and bibliographic reference lists. Wound infection, wound separation, haematoma, seroma, re-admission, closure time, length of hospital stay, patient scar assessment scale (PSAS) and the observer scar assessment scale (OSAS) were the evaluated outcome parameters.

resultsWe identified 16 randomised controlled trials reporting a total of 4926 patients who had skin closure with sutures (n = 2724) or clips (n = 2202) following CS. Use of clips was associated with a significantly higher rate of wound separation (risk ratio (RR): 2.33, P = 0.004) and longer length of hospital stay (mean difference (MD): 1.21, P = 0.03) but shorter closure time (MD: 5.35, P = 0.00001) when compared to sutures group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the risk of wound infection (RR: 1.12, P = 0.75), haematoma formation (RR: 2.46, P = 0.23), seroma (RR: 1.17, P = 0.73), re-admission rate (RR: 1.28, P = 0.73), PSAS (MD: 0.44, P = 0.73) and OSAS (MD: 0.32, P = 0.55). Trial sequential analysis showed the meta-analysis was conclusive for wound infection, wound separation and closure time; however, it was inconclusive for length of hospital stay, PSAS and OSAS due to risk of type 2 error.

conclusionThis meta-analysis of best available evidence (level 1) demonstrated that although skin closure with subcuticular sutures is more time-consuming than clips, it is associated with a significantly lower risk of wound separation and shorter length of hospital stay.

Indexed as

Cesarean SectionSuture TechniquesFemaleHumansPregnancyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSurgical InstrumentsSurgical Wound InfectionSuturesCaesarean sectionClipsSkin closureSutures

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.