COMPARISON OF STERI-STRIP AND CONVENTIONAL PROLENE 2/0 SUTURES FOR SKIN CLOSURE FOLLOWING OPEN INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR IN PATIENTS WITH FITZPATRICK SKIN TYPES III AND IV: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Abstract
Background: The impact of skin closure after inguinal hernia repair on postoperative pain, healing, cosmetic appearance and patient satisfaction. Steri-Strips are suggested as an alternative surgical procedure to traditional Prolene Sutures but is less invasive. This study is a comparison of the results between Steri-Strip and Prolene 2/0 skin closure for inguinal hernia repair in the Fitzpatrick skin type III and IV.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was done in the General Surgery Department at General Surgery Department, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Ninety-two patients were randomized to either Steri-Strip (Group A) or conventional 2/0 Prolene suture (Group B) skin closure. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess postoperative pain at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours after surgery and one week after surgery. At one month and three months, the Vancouver Scar Scale was used to measure scar formation. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 25, and a p value of ≤0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.
Results: The Steri-Strip group demonstrated significantly lower postoperative pain scores than the Prolene group at 6 hours (4.11±0.60 vs. 6.26±0.77), 12 hours (3.89±0.48 vs. 5.09±0.81), 24 hours (3.57±0.91 vs. 4.85±1.21), and one week (1.57±0.98 vs. 2.50±0.69) (p<0.005). Actually, the Vancouver Scar Scale scores in the Steri-Strip group were less at one month and 3 months, but these differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Steri-Strips dramatically relieved postoperative pain and equivalent scar outcome was achieved when compared to conventional Prolene sutures. They are an alternative for closing the skin after elective repair of a inguinal hernia that is safe, effective and patient friendly for patients with Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV.
Keywords
- Inguinal hernia; Steri-Strip; Prolene suture; Skin closure; Postoperative pain; Vancouver Scar Scale; Fitzpatrick skin type III; Fitzpatrick skin type IV; Randomized controlled trial.
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