Comparing outcomes between barbed and conventional sutures in patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty

AIM: To compare outcomes between barbed sutures and conventional sutures among patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty. MATERIALS & METHODS: Retrospective study of patients (aged ≥18 years) undergoing elective knee/hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis between 1 January 2013 and 1 September 2015. Patients were classified as: any Stratafix™ Knotless Tissue Control Devices (barbed suture group) used for closure vs. conventional sutures only (conventional suture group). RESULTS: Compared with the conventional suture group, the barbed suture group had statistically significant: shorter length of stay, knee = 0.2 d; hip = 0.3 d and operating room time, knee = 7 min; hip = 22 min and lower rate of discharge to skilled nursing facility/nonhome setting (knee = 3.0%; hip = 6.8%). CONCLUSION: Use of barbed sutures was associated with shorter length of stay, operating room time and less resource intensive discharge status as compared with conventional sutures alone.