Closure Techniques and Scar Appearance

December 2, 2021 updated by: Murad Alam, Northwestern University

A Randomized Prospective Trial of 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate (Derma-Bond) Tissue Adhesive Versus Running Subcuticular Suture Combined With Tissue Adhesive Versus Epidermal Sutures in Dermatologic Surgery Procedures of the Head and Neck

The goal of this study is to assess whether wound closure with skin adhesive or running stitches combined with skin adhesive will be superior to standard wound sutures. This is a split-wound study that will compare two methods of skin closure within one standard closure technique, thereby providing an internal control of running stitches within each wound. The investigators plan to measure outcomes by assessing for scar appearance, the incidence of wound opening, scar elasticity and subject satisfaction.

Study Overview

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 and over
  • Linear closures on the head and neck, at least 3cm in length
  • The subjects are in good health
  • The subject has the willingness and the ability to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Under 18 years of age
  • Pregnancy or Lactation
  • Subjects who are unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent
  • Subjects with mental illness
  • Defects on the scalp

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: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Running polypropylene closure
Half of every linear wound will be closed with running polypropylene sutures. This technique is Standard of Care.
Half of every wound will be closed with Standard of Care running polypropylene sutures
Experimental: Tissue Adhesive (Derma-Bond)
The experimental half of the wound will be randomized to receive closure with tissue adhesive alone.
Approximately half of wounds will be randomized to be closed with tissue adhesive.
Experimental: Subcuticular polyglactin-910 combined with tissue adhesive
The experimental half of the wound will be randomized to receive closure with running subcuticular polyglactin-910 combined with tissue adhesive.
Approximately half of the experimental wounds will be randomized to be closed with a combination of subcuticular polyglactin-910 and tissue adhesive.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Wound Healing
Time Frame: 10 day/3 weeks and 3 months
The primary outcome measure of this study will be wound healing. This outcome will be assessed by the blinded observers, subject ratings and Cutometer measurements of scar elasticity. Two double-blinded dermatologists will be asked to rate the scars according to the objective scar scales at the 10 day/ 3 week and 3 month follow-up exams.
10 day/3 weeks and 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dehiscence
Time Frame: 10 days/3 weeks and 3 months
The rate of dehiscence observed will be noted and recorded by the treating physicians.
10 days/3 weeks and 3 months
Subject Satisfaction
Time Frame: 10 days/3 weeks and 3 months
The subjects will fill out the VAS to evaluate their overall assessment of their scar, any associated pruritus and pain. The subjects will also fill out a Subject Satisfaction Survey to evaluate subject preference for closure.
10 days/3 weeks and 3 months
Adverse Events
Time Frame: 10 days/3 weeks and 3 months
The treating physicians will note occurrence and extent of any adverse events associated with either type of epidermal closure.
10 days/3 weeks and 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

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

July 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

July 1, 2017

Study Completion (Anticipated)

July 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 29, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 10, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

May 12, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

December 6, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 2, 2021

Last Verified

December 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STU38040

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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