ZipLine® Medical, Inc. is touting data that says 72 percent of patients prefer Zip® closure to staples.
Background
ZipLine Medical almost deserves a MedLatest loyalty card, such is the news flow about its Zip skin closure system. This, remember, is the non-invasive, easy to use skin closure device that aims to replace sutures, staples, and glue for surgical incisions and lacerations.
Now the company tells us about results from the first study to assess Zip Surgical Skin Closure versus surgical staples for closure in the same patients. The randomized, controlled, prospective study encompassed 25 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with Zip Surgical Skin Closure used to close one knee and surgical staples to close the other on each patient. Patient follow-up occurred at hospital discharge, two weeks and eight weeks post-operatively.
Results were presented as a poster at the American Academy of Hip and Knee Surgery Annual Meeting (AAHKS) by Rodney Benner, MD, of the Shelbourne Knee Center in Indianapolis.
Interestingly, not only was the cosmetic result preferred in the Zip-closed knees(both physicians and patients rated scar quality better), 72 percent of patients actually had greater range of motion(p = .002), with 44 percent of these patients demonstrating a more than five-degree difference between the Zip-closed and staple-closed knees. Patients reported less pain on the Zip-closed knee vs. staples at discharge (p = 0.03), at two-week follow-up (p= 0.03), and during device (Zip and staple) removal (p = 0.003)
Overall, 92 percent of patients indicated preference for the Zip vs. staples
Investigator comments
“Zip closure in knee replacement provided some clear benefits in our study,” said Dr. Benner. “Patients reported less pain, improved cosmetic outcomes, and even improved early function by improving range of motion. All in all, Zip closure improved the patient experience, and consequently, I have changed my practice to include Zip closure in all knee arthroplasties.”
Source: ZipLine Medical, Inc.
published: November 9, 2017 in: Clinical Studies/Trials, Knee