Thyroid Cosmesis Study at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver BC

November 27, 2023 updated by: Dr. Sam M. Wiseman

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing The Cosmetic Outcome Of Electrocautery Versus Scalpel For Thyroidectomy Incisions

This study looks at the difference in surgical scar outcomes between two different surgical incision methods during thyroid surgery: scalpel vs electrocautery. Patients who are already scheduled for thyroid surgery with Dr. Sam Wiseman, Endocrine Surgeon at St. Paul's Hospital, and that meet the eligibility criteria for this study will be invited to participate. After signing the informed consent form, participants will be randomized into either one of the two incision methods, but will not know which one they receive. There will be two follow-up time points: one at 6 and another at 12 months post-operative. At these time points the research team will send a letter to the participant asking them to rate the appearance of their surgical scar. They will also be asked to take a picture of their scar and send it back to the research team, so that the research team can make an assessment of their surgical scar. The study concludes when the 12 month follow-up is complete.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Purpose:

To evaluates the difference in thyroid cosmesis between two different surgical incision methods during thyroidectomy: scalpel vs electrocautery.

Hypotheses:

The investigators' hypotheses is that there is no difference in the cosmetic outcome of surgical incision during thyroidectomy by either a scalpel or electrocautery.

Justification:

Very few studies have addressed whether electrocautery produces a cosmetically inferior surgical scar in an objective manner. While some studies have commented briefly on the cosmesis of electrocautery scars, only one previous randomized clinical trials to date have evaluated the cosmesis of electrocautery and scalpel incisions using a validated scar assessment tool. In this study, Chau et al. found that after 6 months postoperatively there was no difference in objective cosmetic outcome or subjective patient satisfaction between the two techniques. This study was a relatively smaller trial, evaluating a total of 38 incisions, thus a larger scale study would be warranted.

A further advantage of electrocautery over scalpels is the decreased risk of surgical injuries. Approximately 17% of all surgical sharps injuries are due to scalpel blades, while only 2% were associated with electrocautery devices. As awareness and concern over blood born diseases increases, further efforts to reduce sharp injuries including replacing scalpels with electrocautery when possible should be investigated.

Objectives:

Aim 1: To compare the cosmetic outcome of surgical scars resulting from scalpel and electrocautery incisions.

Aim 2: To determine rates of wound infection associated with each technique.

Aim 3: To assess if electrocautery incisions are associated with a difference in postoperative pain compared to incisions made by a scalpel.

Research Method:

Patients who are already scheduled for thyroid surgery with Dr. Sam Wiseman at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, BC, and that meet the eligibility criteria for this study will be invited to participate. After signing the informed consent form, participants will be randomized into either one of the two incision methods, but will be blinded as to which one they receive. There will be two follow-up time points: one at 6 months and another at 12 months postoperative. At these time points the research team will send a letter to the participant asking them to rate the appearance of their surgical scar, rate of their wound infection and the degree of their post operative pain using the Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). They will also be asked to take a picture of their scar and send it back to the research team so the research team can make a similar assessment.

Statistical Analysis:

Once the research team receives the participant's questionnaire and photo, the images of their surgical scars will be evaluated by independent, trained, and blinded observers who will use the Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) and the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) to evaluate the cosmesis of the surgical scar. The participants questionnaires will also be evaluated by the surgical team to assess Objective: Aim #3. The study concludes when the 12 month follow-up and these assessment by the research team is complete.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

19 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients over 18 years old who have consented to conventional thyroid surgery with Dr. Sam Wiseman at St Paul's Hospital (Vancouver, BC) will be asked to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients will be excluded if they have had prior surgical incisions at the site of expected surgical incision, connective tissue disorders (e.g. Ehrlos Danlos syndrome), known keloid predilection, and lack of informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Scalpel
Use of a scalpel as a first incision during thyroid operation.
Procedure: Scalpel
Use of a scalpel as a first incision during thyroid operation
Experimental: Electrocautery
Use of an electrocautery as a first incision during thyroid operation.
Procedure: Electrocautery
Use of an electrocautery as a first incision during thyroid operation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Appearance of surgical scar
Time Frame: 6 months post operative
6 months post operative
Appearance of surgical scar
Time Frame: 12 months post operative
12 months post operative

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Rate of wound infection
Time Frame: 6 months post operative
6 months post operative
Rate of wound infection
Time Frame: 12 months post operative
12 months post operative

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Scar pain score on the POSAS Patient Scale
Time Frame: 6 months post operative
6 months post operative
Scar pain score on the POSAS Patient Scale
Time Frame: 12 months post operative
12 months post operative

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Dr. Sam M. Wiseman

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sam M Wiseman, MD, University of British Columbia and St. Paul's Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 19, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 27, 2015

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 1, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 28, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 27, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Thyroid Cosmesis H14-02408

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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