A Comparison of Wound Closure Techniques for Total Knee Arthroplasty

Four wound closure techniques for total knee arthroplasty were compared in a prospective, randomized, controlled, institutional review board approved study with 75 subjects. The study compared tissue adhesives, stapling, and suturing with respect to procedure time and cost, together with functional and clinical outcome. Total knee arthroplasty closure time (capsule to cutaneous) favored staples at 26 s/cm, followed by adhesives (45 and 37 s/cm for 2-octyl and n-butyl-2, respectively) and, finally, subcuticular suturing at 54 s/cm (P < .0007). Reduced procedure time translated into intraoperative cost reduction where closure cost per centimeter was $70, $62, $57, and $75 for 2-octyl, n-butyl-2, staples, and sutures, respectively. No significant differences in infection, dehiscence, cosmesis, general health (SF-12v2 (Quality Metric Inc., Lincoln, RI)), and functional and clinical assessments (range of motion, Knee Society knee score, and pain) were observed.