INSORB® Absorbable Subcuticular Staples In Knee Replacement Surgery
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INSORB® Absorbable Subcuticular Staples In Knee Replacement Surgery A Clinician’s Perspective As A Patient Frederick B. Thompson, M.D., F.A.C.O.G As a clinician… I am a practicing board certified obstetric & gynecology physician at Lexington Women’s Care in West Columbia, SC. Throughout my professional career, I have always sought out new technologies and techniques that improve my patients’ lives. My clinical colleagues have been using the INSORB Absorbable Subcuticular Skin Stapler to close C-section incisions in their patients for years with great results. This novel device rapidly places absorbable staples completely underneath the top layer of skin. After making the always challenging decision to undergo total knee replacement surgery, my initial task was to select an outstanding orthopedic surgeon. My second task was to convince my surgeon to use INSORB Absorbable Staples to close my incision, given our practice’s experience with this novel skin closure modality. Prior to the availability of INSORB Absorbable Staples, we only had two choices for closure of these wounds, absorbable sutures or metal skin staples. The absorbable sutures were placed under the top layer of skin providing for comfortable, cosmetic closures, but placing the sutures were time-consuming and did present a risk of sharps injuries to the OR Staff. Our practice’s patients appreciated that the sutures were absorbable, so they did not need to be removed post-operatively. Metal skin staples are much faster to place, but each staple pierces and punctures the skin that our patients found were painful and sometimes resulted in a compromised cosmetic result. Metal staples need to be removed postoperatively that our patients find inconvenient, makes them anxious, may be painful to remove and result in ‘railroad-tracks’ scars. The use of INSORB Absorbable Staples in our practice has been rewarding for both the clinical team and our patients. Our operative times have been reduced and we have eliminated a sharps from the OR. Our patients have expressed an overwhelming level of satisfaction resulting from the high degree of comfort of the incision and the convenience of ‘no post-operative staple removal.’ These incisions are low-maintenance closures, with a reduced incidence of hematomas, seromas and surgical site infections, due to the interrupted nature of the closure. In addition, our patients are very pleased with the cosmetic result of their incisions. My orthopedic surgeon was not familiar with the INSORB Technology. So, after a brief period of lobbying, my orthopedic surgeon relented and agreed to use the INSORB Stapler for the first time. My surgical procedure was very successful, and I experienced first hand the benefits of the INSORB Skin Closure Modality. Operative and anesthesia times were minimized. There was a remarkable lack of erythema and inflammation. My incision was extremely comfortable with no complications. My knee incision at 5 weeks I did appreciate the convenience of not returning to my orthopedic surgeon’s office solely to have staples removed. And, I am pleased with the cosmetic result of the closure. By the way, when I show my incision to fellow knee replacement recipients, I always hear, “I wish I had those Absorbable Staples used on me!” Dr. Thompson does not have any financial interest in or financial relationship with Incisive Surgical. © 2017 Incisive