Suture Closure Trial

April 20, 2026 updated by: Eric Wagner, Emory University

Incision Closure for Orthopedic Procedures

Closure of surgical incisions in orthopedic procedures contributes to patient postoperative pain and risk of complication. As the focus on improving orthopedic surgery outcomes shifts to best practices in postoperative pain management, it is important to consider suture types and techniques.

This study specifically would focus on comparing different suture types and techniques and their efficacy. This will be a randomized controlled trial comparing currently used, standard of care suture types and currently used, standard of care suture techniques to identify differences, if any exist, in postoperative pain scores and wound healing as assessed by exam and postoperative patient surveys. Patients will be identified by the Emory Upper Extremity/Hand Surgeons as they are identified as a candidate for surgery. Participants will then be informed of the study and spoken to about the specifics of the study. The research team will consent and recruit patients either in The Emory Clinic or in the preoperative area prior to surgery. All surgical operations will take place at the ambulatory surgical center in The Emory Clinic or at the Emory University Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital. Patients will not be compensated for participation in this study. No specimens/data/samples will be collected and stored for later use, and there are no optional substudies. This proposed study will address the lack of published literature regarding the suture technique in hand and wrist surgery in particular. Combined with examining various suture materials, the proposal has the potential to provide a valuable and actionable base of knowledge to the current body of literature.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of different standard-of-care FDA Approved suture types and techniques.

The use of sutures in primary closure of surgical incisions is standard of care for all surgical specialties, including surgery of the hand and wrist. When controlling for type of wound, wound depth, and desired tension, the type of suture selected and technique in which it is applied may vary depending on factors such as surgeon preference and training background.

Addressing different suture types: A variety of suture types are currently in use as the standard of care for the closure of surgical incisions. These are primarily categorized by the composition of absorbable and non-absorbable materials, and further by subtype into braided (vicryl and vicryl Rapide absorbable; ethibond and silk non-absorbable) versus monofilament suture structure (monocryl, polydioxanone, and gut absorbable; ethilon and prolene non-absorbable), or alternatively by synthetic versus natural material composition. As suture types vary in their elasticity, plasticity, memory, and tensile strength, there have been multiple studies assessing the difference in various outcomes between the use of absorbable and non-absorbable suture materials for incision closure after wrist and hand surgery, predominantly after carpal tunnel release. Addressing different suture techniques: There is significantly less evidence regarding different suturing techniques for incision closure after upper extremity surgery. In fact, there exist no studies assessing outcomes from different suture techniques for hand or wrist surgery at all. This proposed study will address the lack of published literature regarding the suture technique in hand and wrist surgery in particular. Combined with examining various suture materials, the proposal has the potential to provide a valuable and actionable base of knowledge to the current body of literature. The research team will randomize patients at each endpoint into cohorts for their orthopedic upper extremity surgical procedure. The PI/Co-Investigators will provide primary closure via suture in the operating room with the cooperation of their surgical team to the normal standard of care for wound closure. The research team will coordinate with scrub technicians and nursing staff to ensure that each patient receives the correctly randomized suture or technique for closure by the surgeon. The patient will then be asked questionnaires to evaluate their satisfaction with their wound closure and will be assessed by the surgeon as well.

The study device sutures will continue to be stored in the operating room and will only be accessed at the time of surgery following standard of care operating protocols

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 (Actual)

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.
160

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30329
        • Emory Executive Park
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30329
        • Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30084
        • Emory Orthopedic and Spine Hospital

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

18 years to 99 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • All patients undergoing surgery for upper extremity injury (finger, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder)
  • Patients aged 18 to 99-years-old who are willing and able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Adults unable to give consent
  • Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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: Monocryl buried
Upper extremity primary surgical wound closure via suture with Monocryl buried
Device: Monocryl buried
Participants randomized to this group will receive the Monocryl (suture) buried (technique). The surgeon will utilize the randomized material and technique, and the research team will utilize two surveys postoperatively to assess wound healing and appearance. Participants will fill out these surveys at each of their clinical follow-up visits.
Active Comparator: Nylon (FDA Approved) not buried
Upper extremity primary surgical wound closure via suture with Nylon(FDA Approved) not buried
Device: Nylon (FDA Approved) not buried
Participants randomized to this group will receive the Nylon (FDA Approved) (suture), not buried (technique). The surgeon will utilize the randomized material and technique, and the research team will utilize two surveys postoperatively to assess wound healing and appearance. Participants will fill out these surveys at each of their clinical follow-up visits.

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in participant's pain score
Time Frame: Post-operative follow-up up to 3 months
Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires to evaluate their pain at each follow-up visit. The Visual Analog Scale will be the subjective measurement to evaluate changes in pain scores, with values ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (very severe pain). A higher score indicates worse pain.
Post-operative follow-up up to 3 months

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.
Emory University

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: Eric R Wagner, MD, MS, Emory University

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 (Actual)

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.
February 5, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

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.
January 5, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
January 5, 2026

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).
January 4, 2022

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.
February 28, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

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.
March 2, 2022

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.
April 23, 2026

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.
April 20, 2026

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.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • STUDY00002251
  • 2025P013345 (Other Identifier: Emory IRB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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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