‘No Dressing’ Strategy for Post-operative Orthopedic Cases

Introduction: A wound is defined as any disruption in the continuity of the skin or the mucosal epithelial lining resulting from physical or thermal injury. Dressings play a crucial role in post-operative wound care, as they help clinicians establish an optimal environment for healing. Despite a comprehensive search, we could not find the guideline for the frequency of dressing change before the suture removal. Hence, we intend to study the result of the frequency of dressing change on wound healing. We hypothesized that there is no need to change dressing before suture removal. We aimed to study the results of the "no dressing" strategy for post-operative orthopedic cases and assess the surgical (healing by objective scale) and functional (satisfaction of the patient by subjective scales) outcomes of the study associated with the patients' quality of life and financial burden. Materials and Methods: A prospective and observational study was conducted over 18 months, involving 150 patients. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (75 each): Group A was the "no dressing" group, and Group B was the routine dressing group. Patients were assessed based on visual analogue scale (VAS), satisfaction score, and Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale. The final follow-up for this study was limited to 1 month after suture removal. However, all patients were on regular follow-up for the primary problem as required. Results: We found a statistically significant improvement in functional VAS score (P = 0.0145) in the "no dressing" group. Hospitalization duration was significantly less with the "no dressing" strategy (P < 0.001). We found reduced financial burden for patients and hospitals by following the "no dressing" strategy. Other outcomes were similar to those of the routine dressing strategy. Conclusion: We conclude that the "NO DRESSING" strategy is helpful in post-operative orthopedic cases. It allows faster discharge, similar surgical and functional outcomes, similar complication rates, and reduces financial burden for the patient and hospital. There is no difference in the time for suture removal and wound healing by following either strategy. However, a multi-centric study with larger groups may help to conclude better. Level of evidence: 3.