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Cutaneous Scarring of Scalpel Versus Cautery

NCT00803140 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 4

Last updated 2015-05-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Cutaneous scarring after elective surgery is a concern for surgeons of all types, perhaps even more so to plastic surgeons. Cautery is often used on the "cut" setting to make or extend incisions; however very few studies have looked at the results of these scars. The investigators' study aims are to compare standard scalpel incisions versus cautery incisions and to objectively compare the resultant scars in a prospective, randomized, controlled fashion.

Conditions

  • Scars

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Cautery vs Active Control Arm (Scalpel)

Interventions: The cautery used will be the standard operating room monopolar cautery used at our institution. The cautery will be used on a "cut" setting of 20 with a blend setting of zero (pure cut). A standard protected needle tip cautery will be used. A #15 blade carbon steel scalpel blade will be used on ½ of the incision; a cautery device with the above-mentioned settings will be used on the other ½ of the wound. The patient will be randomly assigned to receive the cautery incision on the left or right side. The same surgeon will make all of the skin incisions and perform the skin closures in order to provide as much standardization as possible. The closure will be standardized.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Scott and White Hospital & Clinic

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Raman C Mahabir, MD · Scott and White Hospital & Clinic

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2008-11-30
Primary Completion
2013-04-30
Completion
2013-04-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00803140 on ClinicalTrials.gov