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Knotless stitches versus regular stitches for closing wounds after cerebral palsy leg surgery

Compares two stitch types for closing incisions in people with cerebral palsy having leg surgery.

Key facts

Who runs it
University of California, Los Angeles
Where
Santa Monica, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Knotless Versus Conventional Sutures for Wound Closure in Cerebral Palsy Multilevel Surgery
Status
Not yet recruiting
People taking part
50 people, planned
Started
1 Nov 2026
Expected to end
30 Apr 2029
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Knotless barbed suture
  • Conventional suture
Record updated
19 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for children and adults with cerebral palsy who are planned to have surgery at several levels on both legs at once (SEMLS). One leg gets knotless stitches and the other gets usual knotted stitches.

Age
Any age, children and adults.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Cerebral palsy, with planned surgery on both legs that includes at least two procedures done the same way on each leg, each needing a cut longer than 3 cm (1.2 in).

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Old scars where the surgery cuts are planned.
  • Skin or limb problems on one side only that could affect healing or scars.
  • Known allergy to the stitch materials used (polyglactin 910, poliglecaprone 25, polydioxanone) or to triclosan.
  • Active skin infection or open wound at or near a planned cut at the time of surgery.
  • Taking part in another treatment study that could affect wound healing or scars.

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 9 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Diagnosis of cerebral palsy
  • Children and adults of any age
  • Scheduled for bilateral single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) that includes at least two matched procedures (the same procedure performed on both limbs), each requiring an incision longer than 3 cm
  • Patient and/or legally authorized representative willing and able to provide informed consent, with assent from the patient when appropriate, and to complete follow-up through 6 months after surgery

Who cannot take part

  • Previous scars at planned incision sites
  • Pre-existing skin or limb conditions on one side only that could affect wound healing or scar appearance
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any suture material used in the study (polyglactin 910, poliglecaprone 25, or polydioxanone) or to triclosan
  • Active skin infection or open wound at or near a planned incision site at the time of surgery
  • Participation in another interventional study that could affect wound healing or scar formation

Where in United States

  • UCLA Santa Monica Medical CenterSanta Monica, United StatesContact: Yman Kamgaing Wappi, B.S.Not yet recruiting

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

This study compares two standard ways of closing surgical incisions in children and adults with cerebral palsy who are having multilevel surgery on both legs (single-event multilevel surgery, or SEMLS). Each participant serves as their own control: all study incisions on one leg, chosen at random, are closed with knotless barbed sutures, and the matching incisions on the other leg are closed with conventional knotted sutures. All sutures used have an antibacterial (triclosan) coating. The main question is whether knotless barbed sutures shorten the time needed to close each incision. The study also compares wound complications, such as infection and wound opening, and scar appearance, rated from photographs by masked reviewers and by patients or caregivers, over the 6 months after surgery.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Knotless Barbed Suture ClosureTreatment being tested

    Split-body design: in every participant, all study incisions on the limb randomized to this arm are closed in three layers with running knotless barbed sutures: 0 and 2-0 STRATAFIX Symmetric PDS Plus for the deep fascia and subdermal layers, and 3-0 STRATAFIX Spiral Monocryl Plus as a running subcuticular skin closure.

    Treatment: Knotless barbed suture

  • Conventional Suture ClosureExisting treatment, for comparison

    Split-body design: in every participant, the matched study incisions on the contralateral limb are closed in three layers with conventional triclosan-coated sutures: interrupted 0 and 2-0 Coated Vicryl Plus for the deep fascia and subdermal layers, and 3-0 Monocryl Plus as a running subcuticular skin closure.

    Treatment: Conventional suture

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
The AC/DCP Trial: Assessment of Closure, Dehiscence, and Aesthetics in Cerebral Palsy Multilevel Surgery. A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Split-Body Trial of Knotless Tissue Control Devices Versus Conventional Suture
Plain-language title
Knotless stitches versus regular stitches for closing wounds after cerebral palsy leg surgeryGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
19 October 2026