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Efficacy of Wound Care and Reduction of Wound Complications by Use of AQUACEL® Ag Surgical Dressing in MIS TKA

Phase 4
Completed
Conditions
Postoperative Complication
Interventions
Other: AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing (study group)
Other: Sofra-Tulle® dressing (control group)
Registration Number
NCT02445300
Lead Sponsor
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Brief Summary

The investigators hypothesized that AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing would have a significant improvement in the efficacy of wound care and wound complications compared with traditional Sofra-Tulle® dressings after minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA).

Detailed Description

Traditional adhesive dressing (Mepore®; Mölnlycke Health Care) for low limb arthroplasty wounds had blistering up to 26%. The jubilee dressing, which consisted of a highly absorbent Hydrofiber inner layer and (Aquacel; ConvaTec Inc.) and a viscoelastic hydrocolloid outer layer (DuoDERM Extra Thin; ConvaTec Inc.), was introduced for lower limb arthroplasty wounds with lower blistering rate (2% vs. 18%) and lower surgical site infection (1% vs. 3%) compared to traditional adhesive dressing. A new modern dressing regime (Aquacel Ag Surgical dressing; ConvaTec Inc.) also reported longer wear time, less dressing change and less blistering.

In our institution, the standard wound care after TKA was an antimicrobial dressing (Sofra-Tulle®; Royal Chem. \& Pharm. Co., Kaohsiung, Taiwan) in the inner layer and gauzes in the outer layer.

The investigators hypothesized that AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing would have a significant improvement in the efficacy of wound care and wound complications compared with traditional Sofra-Tulle® dressings after MIS-TKA.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
285
Inclusion Criteria
  • Two hundred and eighty five patients who were scheduled for primary unilateral MIS-TKA were enrolled in the study period.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients with condition/comorbidity that could compromise wound healing, including varicose eczema, peripheral vascular disease, receiving immunosuppressive medications, corticosteroid abuse, chronic skin disease around the knee (e.g. psoriasis and chronic eczema) and having prior knee replacement, osteotomy or fracture of the ipsilateral knee.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressingAQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing (study group)AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing is used to cover the surgical wound in the OR. Clinical indications for removal of the AQUACEL® Ag Surgical dressing were leakage from the dressing beyond the hydrocolloid exterior layer and more than a 50% saturation of the Hydrofiber® inner layer.
Sofra-Tulla® dressingSofra-Tulle® dressing (control group)The Sofra-Tulle® dressing was used in the OR and routinely changed at a daily basis. If there were strikethrough on the gauze, the nursing staff would proceed the dressing change automatically between the daily routine.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Wound Care Efficacyan expected average of 5 days at the duration of hospital stay

Wear time, No. of dressing change,

Number of Participants with Adverse EventsThree months after surgery

Blister formation, wound erythema, discharge and necrosis

ASEPSIS score2 weeks after surgery

Additional treatment, Serous discharge, Erythema, Purulent exudate, Separation of deep tissue, Isolation of bacteria and Stay as inpatient

Surgical site infection (SSI)Three months after surgery

Superficial or deep infection of the wound

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain Scores on the Visual Analog Scaletwo weeks after surgery

overall pain management, and removal when using the dressings

Comfort scaletwo weeks after surgery

The dressing is comfort in use and ease of application (excellent, good, fair or poor)

Ease scaletwo weeks after surgery

The dressing is ease of application and removal (excellent, good, fair or poor)

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