Assessment and Comparison of Management of Open Wound by using Tie Wrap Versus Stay Suture

Background: Effective postoperative wound management is crucial in orthopedic surgery to reduce infections and promote recovery. Surgical dressings, classified as passive, active, or interactive, aid healing through different mechanisms. The wound healing process involves hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and maturation. While tie wraps and stay sutures are common for superficial wound closure, their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. This study evaluates tie wraps versus stay sutures for superficial open wounds in orthopedic settings. Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomized study was conducted at Sri Aurobindo Medical College, Indore, India, from March 2023 to September 2024. Thirty patients with superficial open wounds (<5 cm length, <0.5 cm depth) from road traffic accidents were randomized into two groups ( n = 15 each): Group A (tie wraps) and Group B (stay sutures). Tie wraps involved sterile tape application with benzoin tincture, while stay sutures used 0.6 cut nylon stitches. Primary outcomes were healing duration and scar width; secondary outcomes included debridement need and complications. Data were analyzed using unpaired t tests and chi-square tests ( P < 0.05). Results: Groups were comparable in age ( P = 0.900), sex ( P = 0.309), and wound size ( P = 0.632). Tie wraps significantly reduced healing time (25.93 ± 2.63 days) compared to stay sutures (49.60 ± 7.06 days, P = 0.001). Debridement was required in all tie wrap cases and 86.7% of suture cases ( P = 0.143). No complications occurred in either group ( P = 1.000). Scar width data were unavailable. Conclusion: Tie wraps offer faster healing than stay sutures for superficial trauma wounds, with comparable safety. Larger studies are needed to assess long-term outcomes, including scar aesthetics.