DOS 2016

· DOS Abstracts

Comparison of two alternative wound closure

methods for tumor arthroplasty of the hip.

Werner Hettwer, Peter Horstmann, Michael Mørk Petersen

Ortopedisk Tumorsektion, Rigshospitalet; Ortopedisk Tumorsektion,

Rigshospitalet; Ortopedisk Tumorsektion, Rigshospitalet

Background:

Prolonged wound drainage is a common complication after ex-

tensive surgery involving the hip, such as tumor resection and endoprosthetic

reconstruction.

Purpose / Aim of Study:

We wished to determine a possible beneficial effect

of an alternative wound closure method compared to routine wound closure

with skin staples in this challenging patient population.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective case-control study of a cohort of

70 frequency matched patients with metastatic bone disease or malignant he-

matologic bone disease, treated at our center between 2012 and 2014 was

performed. All patients underwent tumor resection and subsequent endopros-

thetic reconstruction of the proximal femur and either occlusive wound closure

(OWC), with a combination of intradermal suture, Steristrips and an occlusive

skin adhesive (Investigational group, n=35) or routine wound closure with con-

ventional staples (Control group, n=35).

Findings / Results:

Patients with OWC were significantly faster to achieve dry

wound status and experienced significantly shorter administration of antibiot-

ics and hospital stay accordingly. Compared to the patients in the control group

their wounds were already dry after a mean 3.4 days (vs 6.7 days, p<0.0001),

they received antibiotics for a mean 4.2 days (vs 6.8 days, p<0.0001) and their

mean hospital stay was 6.3 days (vs 8.0 days, p<0.015). Prolonged wound

drainage (PWD) for 7 days or more was observed in 34% of patients (n=12)

closed with staples, compared to (n=0) of patients with OWC.

Conclusions:

Compared to conventional staples, occlusive wound closure

(OWC) appears to significantly reduce wound complications, use of antibiotics

and hospital stay in patients undergoing tumor hip arthroplasty, which may also

contribute to a reduction of the potentially increased risk for periprosthetic joint

infection (PJI) in this patient population.

No conflicts of interest reported

11.