Conservative treatment of simple lacerations of the hand in place of sutures is faster, less painful, and produces similar cosmetic and functional outcome.
Ninety-one patients were enrolled into a randomised controlled trial for treatment of uncomplicated lacerations of the hand with a full thickness < 2 cm; without tendon, joint, fracture, or nerve complications. Normally, such wounds would be sutured, note Dr. James Quinn and colleagues at the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.
Every doctor treating a laceration is asked if the wound needs stitching “with the expectation that the answer is determined using some scientific knowledge,” the clinicians point out. “In truth, we give an opinion based on experience.
The value of closure and whether it is even needed have never been objectively studied.” Patients in the trial received either sutures or conservative treatment and were asked to return eight to 10 days later for their sutures to be removed or their wound to be assessed. Patients rated their pain using a standard pain rating scale.
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