Surgical staples and skin closure tape in primary total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Skin closure with surgical staplers has been widely used in total knee arthroplasty. In recent years, a new kind of skin closure tape has also achieved good results in total knee arthroplasty. There is no clear report on which method of skin closure is better. OBJECTIVE: To statistically analyzed the effect of two skin closure techniques in total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: The two researchers independently searched the relevant literature in PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedicine Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and the VIP Chinese Sci-tech Journal Database. The retrieval time was from inception to April 2019. The literature was screened and finally included in the study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of four studies were included, both of which were the literature in English. (1) In terms of the primary index, the re-admission rate of skin closure tape (RR=0.68, 95%C/0.49-0.95, P=0.03) could be reduced compared with the staple. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two (RR=0.85, 95%C/0.27-2.64, P=0.77). (2) In the aspect of secondary indexes, skin closure tape could relieve pain, save time and cost, and have good cosmetic effect though there was no significant difference in the removal time of closed materials between the two. (3) Results indicated that according to the existing literature, compared with surgical staples, skin closure tape is a less painful skin closure method with fewer complications in total knee arthroplasty. Because of the limited sample size, more studies and longer follow-up time are needed to confirm this conclusion.