Study characteristics
Only 3 of 7 studies were randomised trials. Of these, Batra utilised double blinding and two used single blinding. Ghosh used a “split-wound” method, wherein one half of the wound was closed with either of the study interventions. In total, 434 patients were included. Two papers did not provide further demographic data, with 261 male and 113 female patients described in the remaining studies. Five papers compared sutures vs staples, and two examined sutures vs tissue adhesives. No papers compared tissue adhesives vs staples or steri-strips to other closure methods, and none reviewed more than two methods. All papers used interrupted skin sutures with various materials (silk, nylon, and prolene) with the exception of Maw, which used subcuticular suturing. Table 1 lists the key study characteristics and interventions.