Trial Comparing Cosmetic Outcomes of Pediatric Laceration Closure Using Skin Glue, Medical Tape Versus Stitches
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | Any - 18 |
| Updated: | 11/8/2017 |
| Start Date: | September 23, 2017 |
| End Date: | January 2019 |
| Contact: | Maureen Saint Georges Chaumet, MD |
| Email: | LacerationResearchStudy@vanderbilt.edu |
| Phone: | 615-936-7317 |
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Cosmetic Outcomes of Pediatric Laceration Closure Using a Tissue Adhesive (Dermabond™) Versus Adhesive Strips (Steri-Strips™) Versus Absorbable Sutures
There are several methods of closing a skin cut: stitches, skin glue, and medical tape.
Stitches have been used for a long time to close skin cuts. Skin glue (invented in the 1970s)
and medical tape (invented in the 1960s) are two newer methods to close skin cuts. The
purpose of this study is to find out which method (stitches, skin glue, or medical tape) of
closing skin cuts results in the least amount of scarring. Other things the investigators
will be looking at are which method is the cheapest, which causes the least pain, which
requires the least amount of sedation, and which method patients and parents like the best.
Stitches have been used for a long time to close skin cuts. Skin glue (invented in the 1970s)
and medical tape (invented in the 1960s) are two newer methods to close skin cuts. The
purpose of this study is to find out which method (stitches, skin glue, or medical tape) of
closing skin cuts results in the least amount of scarring. Other things the investigators
will be looking at are which method is the cheapest, which causes the least pain, which
requires the least amount of sedation, and which method patients and parents like the best.
When a child comes in to the Emergency Room with a skin cut, if the child and their parents
consent to being in the study, they will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:
stitches, skin glue, or medical tape. There will be about 30 kids in each group, and thus 90
kids total in the study.
In the Emergency Room, a lidocaine ointment will be placed on the child's cut to decrease
pain. The cut will be cleaned out with sterile saline. Then, depending on which method is
used, the cut will be closed with either stitches, skin glue, or medical tape by their
doctor. The participants will be asked to answer a short questionnaire. Finally, they will be
given discharge instructions and sent home. At 3 months, the investigators will call parents
for a quick questionnaire over the phone and parents will be asked to take a picture of the
patient's scar and send it to the study staff.
Once all 90 pictures have been collected, two Plastic Surgeons will be asked to rate the
scars in terms of how they look. The Plastic Surgeons will not know which method was used to
close which cut. Once all of the scars have been rated, the averages of scars will be
compared for each closure method. The investigators will also look at how much each method
cost, how much extra pain medications or sedation each group used, and which method was liked
best.
consent to being in the study, they will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:
stitches, skin glue, or medical tape. There will be about 30 kids in each group, and thus 90
kids total in the study.
In the Emergency Room, a lidocaine ointment will be placed on the child's cut to decrease
pain. The cut will be cleaned out with sterile saline. Then, depending on which method is
used, the cut will be closed with either stitches, skin glue, or medical tape by their
doctor. The participants will be asked to answer a short questionnaire. Finally, they will be
given discharge instructions and sent home. At 3 months, the investigators will call parents
for a quick questionnaire over the phone and parents will be asked to take a picture of the
patient's scar and send it to the study staff.
Once all 90 pictures have been collected, two Plastic Surgeons will be asked to rate the
scars in terms of how they look. The Plastic Surgeons will not know which method was used to
close which cut. Once all of the scars have been rated, the averages of scars will be
compared for each closure method. The investigators will also look at how much each method
cost, how much extra pain medications or sedation each group used, and which method was liked
best.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Medical complaint of laceration
- Single, linear laceration
- Laceration less than 5 cm in length and 0.5 cm in width
- Laceration less than 12 hours old
- Laceration minimally contaminated (no visible dirt in wound)
- Parents and child speak English
Exclusion Criteria:
- Significant medical history that may impact wound healing (hematologic or oncologic
diagnosis requiring chemotherapy, ichthyosis, epidermolysis bullosa, etc.)
- Use of oral steroids (more than 5 days in the past month)
- History of keloid formation
- Allergy to skin glue, medical tape, or topical anesthetics
- Lacerations requiring deep sutures
- Lacerations caused by animal bites or scratches
- Lacerations located on the scalp, eyebrow, eyelid, lip, mucosa, joint or nail bed
- No access to photographic capabilities (camera or smartphone) and/or e-mail, OR unable
to return to the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Emergency Room to have a picture taken
at 3 months
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