Barbed sutures versus staples for closure in total hip arthroplasty using wound ooze as a primary outcome measure: A prospective study.

Background: Prosthetic joint infection is a rare, but devastating complication of primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Postoperative wound discharge and deep infection are related. We examined whether barbed sutures were associated with a decrease in the incidence of postoperative wound discharge when compared with skin closure using metal staples.