Clinical trial NCT01697748: Prospective Study on Cesarean Wound Outcomes
Official title: A Prospective Randomized Study Assessing Post Operative Wound Infections Along With Cosmetic Outcomes Using Silver Impregnated Dressings Compared to Conventional Dressings on Cesarean Section Incisions
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Surgical Site Infection
Cosmetic Appearance of Cesarean Scar
Post Operative Pain
Keywords: cesarean section incisions
silver
c-section
wound infection
scar appearance
post operative pain
Lead sponsor: University of South Florida
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2012-10-02
Enrollment: 660
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: This study will investigate whether the placement of silver impregnated dressings beginning in the OR will improve wound healing in patients undergoing cesarean delivery compared to traditional Telfa pads. This study will also explore the presumed improvement in scar integrity when silver impregnated dressings are used compared to the Telfa pads.

The study will compare the percentage of patients who develop a surgical site infection after application of silver impregnated dressings versus standard Telfa dressings. Investigators will also assess the cosmetic appearance and pain of the cesarean section scar at the patient's one week and 6 week post-operative visits.

Detailed description: This is a randomized, prospective study involving 660 patients undergoing cesarean sections at Tampa General Hospital. The control group (n=330) will receive standard Telfa pad dressing and the treatment group (n=330) will receive the silver impregnated dressing.

The primary objective is to compare the percentage of patients who develop a surgical site infection between the two groups at the 1-week and 6-weeks post operative visits. The secondary objective is to assess the cosmetic outcome of the cesarean incision observed at the 1-week and 6-week post-operative visits. A plastic surgery investigator will also conduct a blinded assessment of cosmetic outcome by review of photographs taken of the wounds at 1-week and 6-weeks.The tertiary objective is to evaluate the amount of narcotic and non narcotic medicine consumed during the hospitalization and query the patient with regards to pain involving the cesarean wound at 1 and 6 week post-operative visits

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 or older
* Elective and emergent cesarean deliveries
* Primary and repeat cesarean sections
* Transverse skin incisions (Pfannenstiel)
* Low transverse uterine incisions
* Patients with or without the diagnosis of chorioamnionitis with antibiotic treatment prior to or after the delivery of the baby
* Single and multiple gestations
* Able and willing to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients that did not receive routine prophylactic dose of antibiotics in the operating room.
* Skin incisions other than Pfannenstiel
* Uterine incisions other than low transverse
* Patients with known or discovered allergy to silver or nylon

Primary outcomes:
measure: Percentage of Patients Who Develop a Surgical Site Infection
timeFrame: from post operative day #1 through post operative day 30
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Cosmetic Outcome of the Cesarean Section Incision
timeFrame: Post operative day 7
measure: Cosmetic Outcome of the Cesarean Section Incision
timeFrame: Six weeks post-operative
Other outcomes:
measure: Reduction of Pain After Cesarean Delivery
timeFrame: Immediately post operatively to hospital discharge
measure: The Number of Participants Noting Pain at the One Week Post Cesarean Visit
timeFrame: Post operative day 7
measure: The Number of Participants Noting Pain at the Six Weeks Post Cesarean Visit
timeFrame: 6 weeks post operative
Locations:
city: Tampa
country: United States
facility: USF Health South Tampa Center for Advanced Healthcare
state: Florida
city: Tampa
country: United States
facility: Women's Center Operating Rooms at the Tampa General Hospital
state: Florida
city: Tampa
country: United States
facility: USF Health Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare
state: Florida
Study officials:
affiliation: USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
name: Sheila Connery, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Opoien HK, Valbo A, Grinde-Andersen A, Walberg M. Post-cesarean surgical site infections according to CDC standards: rates and risk factors. A prospective cohort study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2007;86(9):1097-102. doi: 10.1080/00016340701515225.
citation: Owens SM, Brozanski BS, Meyn LA, Wiesenfeld HC. Antimicrobial prophylaxis for cesarean delivery before skin incision. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;114(3):573-579. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b490f1.
citation: Olsen MA, Butler AM, Willers DM, Devkota P, Gross GA, Fraser VJ. Risk factors for surgical site infection after low transverse cesarean section. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2008 Jun;29(6):477-84; discussion 485-6. doi: 10.1086/587810.
citation: Epstein NE. Do silver-impregnated dressings limit infections after lumbar laminectomy with instrumented fusion? Surg Neurol. 2007 Nov;68(5):483-5; discussion 485. doi: 10.1016/j.surneu.2007.05.045.
citation: Perkins James, Pattillo Rolandid. How to Avert Postoperative Wound Complications-Treat It when It Occurs. OBG Management 2009;21(10):43-53.
citation: Huckfeldt R, Redmond C, Mikkelson D, Finley PJ, Lowe C, Robertson J. A clinical trial to investigate the effect of silver nylon dressings on mediastinitis rates in postoperative cardiac sternotomy incisions. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2008 Oct;54(10):36-41.
citation: Leaper DJ. Silver dressings: their role in wound management. Int Wound J. 2006 Dec;3(4):282-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-481X.2006.00265.x.
citation: Mustoe TA, Cooter RD, Gold MH, Hobbs FD, Ramelet AA, Shakespeare PG, Stella M, Teot L, Wood FM, Ziegler UE; International Advisory Panel on Scar Management. International clinical recommendations on scar management. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002 Aug;110(2):560-71. doi: 10.1097/00006534-200208000-00031.
citation: Cromi A, Ghezzi F, Gottardi A, Cherubino M, Uccella S, Valdatta L. Cosmetic outcomes of various skin closure methods following cesarean delivery: a randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jul;203(1):36.e1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2010.02.001. Epub 2010 Apr 24.
citation: Draaijers LJ, Tempelman FR, Botman YA, Tuinebreijer WE, Middelkoop E, Kreis RW, van Zuijlen PP. The patient and observer scar assessment scale: a reliable and feasible tool for scar evaluation. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004 Jun;113(7):1960-5; discussion 1966-7. doi: 10.1097/01.prs.0000122207.28773.56.
citation: Thomas Steve. MRSA and the Use of Silver Dressings: Overcoming Bacterial Resistance. http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2004/november/Thomas/Introducing-Silver Dressings.html.
citation: Yiannias, James. Clinical features and diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-features-and-diagnosis-of-allergic-contact-dermatitis
citation: Connery SA, Yankowitz J, Odibo L, Raitano O, Nikolic-Dorschel D, Louis JM. Effect of using silver nylon dressings to prevent superficial surgical site infection after cesarean delivery: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Jul;221(1):57.e1-57.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.02.053. Epub 2019 Mar 5.