Use of skin staplers in head and neck surgery: prospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVE To compare the advantages and disadvantages of skin staplers versus conventional sutures in head and neck surgery. SUBJECTS Fifty consecutive patients who underwent extensive surgery in the head and neck area were included in this prospective trial. METHODS Patients were randomized into two equal groups: one group had their wounds closed with staplers and the other with monofilament sutures. The main outcome measures were speed of suturing, wound healing and cosmetic result, complications, and cost of either method. RESULTS Cosmetic results were good in both groups. Neither group had any complications. Wound closure speed was 18.9 +/- 1.4 cm/min when using skin staplers and 1.9 +/- 0.4 cm/min for conventional suturing (p < .001). CONCLUSION Skin staplers significantly reduce wound closure time and yield similar cosmetic results with no complications and with only a slightly higher cost of suturing material.