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Infection Rates Between Primary Wound-closure (Allgower) and Secondary Wound Healing After Removal of an External FixatorPinsidesNCT03842956

Wound Closure (Allgower) Versus Secondary Open Wound Healing After Removal of the External Fixator

A study testing Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externe in people with Infection Rates Between Primary Wound-closure (Allgower) and Secondary Wound Healing After Removal of an External Fixator, run by Luzerner Kantonsspital at 1 site in Switzerland.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

In this prospective randomized controlled single-center trial, based on a non-inferiority design, the outcome of the treatment of patients are analyzed, whereas in half of the cases the wounds are left open and the other ones are primary wound closed after local debridement after Fixator-Extern is removed. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
What is being tested?
Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externe
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
241 participants
Where
1 siteSwitzerland
Study dates
1 Jan 2019to 28 Feb 2021
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Completed 18th year of age
  • Supply by external fixator
  • Signed informed consent for study participation

Who cannot join

  • Patients with immunodeficiency (HIV / hepatitis infection, leukemia, steroid therapy, autoimmune therapy)
  • Patients who can not perform a follow-up treatment for structural reasons (tourists, not home canton) or other reasons
  • Lack of knowledge of German
  • Lack of consent to study participation
  • invalid patients

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Switzerland1 site
  • Luzerner Kantonsspital

    Lucerne

Other trials in Switzerland

About this study

Official title: "Wound Closure (Allgower) Versus Secondary Open Wound Healing of the Pin Sites After Removal of the External Fixator: Study Protocol for a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Mono-center Trial"

In this prospective randomized controlled single-center trial, based on a non-inferiority design, the outcome of the treatment of patients are analyzed, whereas in half of the cases the wounds are left open and the other ones are primary wound closed after local debridement after Fixator-Extern is removed. Although this topic embodies a daily business, there is no standard to be found in literature regarding the treatment of pin sites with closure by either primary or secondary intent.

Read the detailed description

In the orthopedic department of the Kantonsspital Lucerne (LUKS) after removal of the external fixator, the pin sites at the tibia and the back of the foot are routinely treated with primary wound closure. An international survey carried out by the LUKS shows that in comparison to our standard treatment the majority of surgeons left the pin sites open during the healing process. In order to find a standardized method to treat pin sites we conduct a randomized controlled trial, in which half of the pin site wounds are left open and the other half are treated by primary wound closure after local debridement (Treatment of the first pin-side will be randomized, then alternated treatment of the consecutive pin-sides). All patients of the study participants are treated within a fixed pre- and postoperative protocol, which includes antibiotic prophylaxis with a single shot of Cefazolin 2g intravenously 30 minutes prior to surgery. The postoperative pin care includes daily inspection of the pin sites, cleaning the secondary healing wound with Ringerfundin © and disinfection with Betadine ©. Primary wound closures are dressed with dry gaze bandage. The following out-patient treatment is provided either by a Spitex support, the family doctor or by the patient himself, depending on the patients compliance. Regular follow-up consultations at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 52 weeks after surgery ensure an adequate surveillance of the healing process, whereas the examining doctor at the second and last consultation was kept in dark what therapy was chosen for pin sites of the patient. To objectify the clinical progress the pin sites are photo documented at the consultations at week 2 and 52.

Being tested
Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externe
Keywords
Fixator extern, Fixateur externe, External fixator, Wound healing, Fix-Ex, Pin Side, Trauma, Infection
Medical subject headings
Wounds and Injuries, Infections

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externeProcedure or surgery

    We compare the outcome of primary wound closure (Allgower) and secondary open wound healing by comparing infection-rates, use of antibiotics, reoperation-rates, satisfaction of the patients and optical results using the Vancouver scar scale

Study groups in NCT03842956
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Primary wound healingActive comparatorPrimary woundclosure in Allgöwer suture technique
Receives: Procedure: Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externe
Secondary wound healingNo interventionno closure, open wound healing

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Post surgical pin side wound infections according to center of disease control (CDC)

    Measured: up to 12 weeks after surgery

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Surgical wound revision of the pin sides, carried out antibiotic therapy in a wound infection

    Measured: up to 52 weeks after surgery

  2. Time to wound healing of the pin sides

    Definition wound healing: complete epithelialization

    Measured: up to 6 weeks after surgery

  3. Vancouver scar scale

    ExercisingPigmentation 0-2, Vascularity 0-3, Pliability 0-5, Height 0-3, so that the score has got a total score reaching from 0 up to 13

    Measured: up to 52 weeks after surgery

  4. subjective perception of the wounds

    questionnaire on subjective preference of the patient

    Measured: up to 52 weeks after surgery

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted15 Feb 2019
  2. Study start1 Jan 2019
  3. Primary completion28 Feb 2021
  4. Study completion28 Feb 2021

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
241 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03842956
Sponsor's protocol ID
2018-01316
Other IDs
2018
Acronym
Pinsides
Status last verified
Aug 2022
First submitted
8 Feb 2019
Last updated
9 Aug 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Tillmann F, Hoepelman RJ, Cagienard F, Link BC, Babst R, van de Wall BJM, Beeres FJP. Primary Closure or Secondary Wound Healing of Pin Sites After External Fixator Removal: A Single-Center Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2023 Feb 1;105(3):207-213. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.22.00234. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

    PubMed 36622896
  • Roth F, Cagienard F, Link BC, Hodel S, Lehnick D, Babst R, Beeres FJP. Primary or secondary wound healing of the pin sites after removal of the external fixator: study protocol for a prospective, randomized controlled, monocenter trial. Trials. 2020 Feb 19;21(1):205. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-4087-8.

    PubMed 32075685

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Primary wound closure in Allgower Technique vs. secondary open wound healing of pin-sides after removal of the fixated-externe in people with Infection Rates Between Primary Wound-closure (Allgower) and Secondary Wound Healing After Removal of an External Fixator, run by Luzerner Kantonsspital at 1 site in Switzerland.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Aug 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Switzerland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Post surgical pin side wound infections according to center of disease control (CDC) (time frame: up to 12 weeks after surgery). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03842956, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Aug 2022.

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