title: An RCT on the effects of topical CGP on surgical wound appearance and residual scarring in bilateral total-knee arthroplasty patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that topically applied calcium glycerophosphate (CGP) would improve the appearance of the wound following bilateral knee replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy patients, aged 45-75 years, scheduled for bilateral total-knee replacement surgery were recruited into the study. One knee was randomly assigned to the treatment group, while the contralateral knee was designated the control (standard care). Subjects were instructed to apply a preparation of 10% CGP in an aqueous lotion to the treated knee once daily for 42 days, starting at the third postoperative day. Functional sealing and cosmetic appearance of the incision were evaluated by two surgeons by direct examination of the patient and then by two experienced assessors from photographs. The investigators qualitatively scored the intensity and extent of erythema along the incision and over the entire knee, the appearance of visible oedema along the incision and over the knee, and the overall clinical impression of wound healing. All four assessors were blinded to the subjects' allocation and the latter two assessors to the initial investigators' assessments. Subjects were also followed up for an additional 46 weeks, giving a total study duration of 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients completed the study. Statistical analysis showed that both the area and intensity of erythema along the incision were significantly reduced in the treated vs untreated knee over the entire study period. The analysis further showed that treatment significantly reduced oedema, both along the incision and across the entire knee. The differences were most marked at the seventh postoperative day and diminished with time. No adverse effects were observed for any patient, in either treated or untreated knees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that postoperative application of 10% CGP could improve the appearance of the wound following total knee arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Rothman Institute, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orozco
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anmuth
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kathrins
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zerweck
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raspa
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Weis
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000517:prevention & control; D004890:Erythema / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005994:Glycerophosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005994:Glycerophosphates