Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Economic and clinical outcomes of spinal fusion surgeries with skin closure through skin staples plus waterproof wound dressings versus 2-octyl cyanoacrylate plus polymer mesh tape.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Spinal fusion surgeries are one of the most common types of operations performed during inpatient stays in the United States. Successful wound closure, including watertight closure at the skin layer, plays in important role in patient outcomes.

PURPOSE: To compare the economic and clinical outcomes of spinal fusion surgeries using one of two sutureless skin closure techniques: skin staples plus waterproof wound dressings (SSWWD) or 2-octyl cyanoacrylate plus polymer mesh tape (2OPMT).

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective study using a multi-hospital database.

PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients undergoing inpatient spinal fusion surgery for a spine disorder between October 1, 2015 and March 31, 2019.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Total costs from the hospital perspective, operating room time (ORT), hospital length of stay (LOS), non-home discharge, infection/wound complications during the 90-day global period (index surgery through 90 days post-discharge), and 30/60/90-day all-cause readmissions.

METHODS: Outcomes were compared between study groups using nearest neighbor propensity score matching with exact matching on 45 primary procedure/diagnosis code groupings and generalized estimating equations to account for hospital-level clustering. This study was sponsored by Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company; the authors are employees or consultants of Johnson & Johnson.

RESULTS: A total of 11,991 patients met the study criteria (2OPMT=5,961; SSWWD=6,030), of which 3,602 were included in each post-match study comparison group (total=7,204). As compared with the SSWWD group, the 2OPMT group had statistically significant lower median ORT (240 vs. 270 minutes; p=0.002), mean LOS (3.35 [SD=2.6] vs. 3.86 [SD=2.8] days, p=0.031), risks of non-home discharge status (17.63% vs. 23.10%, p=0.035), overall infections/wound complications (1.37% vs. 2.48%, p=0.015), and surgical site infection (1.11% vs. 2.07%, p=0.023). Differences between the study groups in total hospital costs, all-cause readmissions, and other sub-components of the infection/wound complication composite outcome were statistically insignificant (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective observational study of patients undergoing elective inpatient spinal fusion surgery, the use of 2OPMT for skin closure was associated with significantly lower ORT, LOS, non-home discharge, and 90-day rates of infections/wound complications as compared with SSWWD.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app