Kanegaye JT et al, 1997, USA | 88 patients age 13 months to 16 years, attending emergency department with scalp lacerations | Prospective randomised study | Patient pain (self reported) | No statistical difference between scores. | No fixed protocol for local anaesthetic administration |
| | | Patient restraint | Some form of immobilisation used in 49% staple group and 60% suture group. | Costs assume repair by a physician |
| | | Speed of repair | Staples were 6 times faster than sutures per wound, and 8 times faster per cm wound repaired. Taking into account skin preparation time, stapling was twice as fast. Fellows were one and a half times faster at stapling than residents. | Group size too small to effectively establish rate of wound complications |
| | | Parental satisfaction | No difference between groups | |
| | | Cost of repair | Staples cost 39% less than sutures per wound closure, even when paying a fellow rather than a resident. | |
| | | Wound complications at 7 days | None | |
| | | Needlestick injuries | One glove punctured during staple repair, and two needles lost during suturing. | |