| Karounis Het al, 2004,USA | Paediatric patients with traumatic lacerations | Prospective, randomised, controlled trial | Short term cosmesis (as measured with percentage of patients with optimal wound score on 6-point scale) | Better for absorbable but not statistically significant (63% v 49%); RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.17 | 34% of patients were lost to long term follow up. |
| Wound dehiscence | 11% for non-absorbable v 2% for absorbable, p = 0.07 |
| Cosmesis at 4 months (measured by plastic surgeon on 100 mm VAS) | 79 mm for absorbable v 66 for non-absorbable |
| Cosmesis at 4 months as measured by optimal score on 6-point scale | 36% for absorbable v 28% for non absorbable; RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.26 |
| Surgical scar revision recommendation | 3 patients were recommended for revision: 2 were in the absorbable group; all declined revision |