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SuspendedNCT04724512SUSYUpdated Nov 30, 2021

SUSY Study (SUture StudY) Comparing Scarring With Polypropylene vs Polyglactin 910 Sutures

A Phase 4 interventional study of suture in Entropion and Inflammation in the Eyelid, sponsored by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Suspended at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-11-30.

Sponsored by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust · Phase 4, Interventional, and Other

Why this study was suspended
setup activities were suspended due to COVID
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
44
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Entropion is a common condition in which the ageing eyelid becomes lax and rolls inwards, resulting in the eyelashes rubbing against the surface of the eye. This can cause discomfort, excessive watering and in severe cases inflammation of the surface of the eye which may lead to permanent scarring and impairment of vision.

There are several options for surgical management of entropion. One of the quickest and simplest treatments to turn the eyelid outwards is to have three stitches ('everting sutures') placed into the eyelid. However recurrence of the entropion is common following this procedure alone. A more permanent operation ('definitive surgery') is to shorten and tighten the eyelid ('wedge excision') in addition to the everting sutures. One approach is to perform the everting sutures soon after the patient attends, as this procedure can be done in a clinic or minor operations theatre and provides immediate relief of symptoms, followed by the wedge excision at a later date, when a slot is available in the operating theatre (which has a longer waiting list). These procedures are routinely offered to patients at our hospital.

Different surgeons use different types of stitches to turn the eyelid outwards e.g. polypropylene or polyglactin 910. Currently, there is no consensus as to which stitch causes less inflammation in the eyelid. The aim of this research study is to compare the inflammatory reaction between the two types of stitches. If there is a significant difference, this could provide useful information for surgeons in deciding which stitch is more appropriate for patients, especially those prone to scarring. We will assess the outcome of each type of stitch in terms of objective and clinical assessment of any scars (through questionnaires) and amount of inflammation caused (through examination of the tissue in the lab).

Read the detailed description

Purpose and design This study will be the first of its kind to address the difference in inflammatory reaction between these two sutures in entropion repair surgery. Both sutures are widely used in the NHS in eyelid surgery already. The study design has involved peer review from eminent doctors and two statisticians. The questionnaire development involved patients.

Recruitment Patients will be recruited from the oculoplastic clinics at the Western Eye Hospital and Royal Bournemouth Hospital where they will be approached by the principal investigator and colleagues who are also members of the regular care team and GCP trained. Patients will be informed about the study and given sufficient time to decide whether or not they wish to participate. Fully informed consent will be obtained before any study procedures will take place.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

  • Adult patients (aged 18 years or over)
  • Diagnosis of involutional entropion with sufficient lid laxity for a wedge excision
  • Ability to provide informed consent EXCLUSION CRITERIA
  • Aged under 18 years
  • Prior lower eyelid surgery
  • Predisposing conditions and treatments known to interfere with scarring and healing

    • Concurrent steroid treatment
    • Addison's disease
    • Poorly controlled diabetes
    • History of keloid scarring
    • History or current cicatrizing disease
    • Warfarin
  • Unable to provide informed consent No one will be unfairly excluded/included in the research

Consent Consent will be taken by a researcher who is able to assess capacity and does so in everyday practice. Only participants who are able to give fully informed consent will be approached for participation.

Risks:

The suture material being studied are widely used in oculoplastic surgery internationally and within the NHS. All sutures can cause scarring, although the risk of significant scarring in eyelid surgery is low as eyelids tend to heal well due to a good blood supply. The main risk of surgery is that the procedure does not work, but these are standard NHS treatments and are accepted as being low risk. Patients will be informed that a benefit of being in the trial is that their procedure will be performed by a senior oculoplastic surgeon and much sooner than is usually possible on a standard NHS waiting list. They will have more close attention paid to their symptoms and a more detailed assessment and aftercare.

Confidentiality The investigators will abide by the Caldicott principles. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times in compliance with the ICH GCP and applicable Trust protocols.

Conflict of Interest There is no financial or other conflicts of interest. This is an investigator-led study. Ethicon are providing funding for the study but they have not been involved in the study design and will have no rights over the data handling or publication.

02

Conditions studied

  • Entropion
  • Inflammation in the Eyelid

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03

In context

Inflammation

3,439 studies on the registry are indexed under Inflammation; 629 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 44 is below the median of 50 across 2,437 interventional studies indexed under Inflammation.

Browse Inflammation studies →

Lead sponsor

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is the lead sponsor of 79 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult patients (aged 18 years or over)
  • Diagnosis of involutional entropion with sufficient lid laxity for a wedge excision
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Aged under 18 years
  • Prior lower eyelid surgery
  • Predisposing conditions and treatments known to interfere with scarring and healing

    • Concurrent steroid treatment
    • Addison's disease
    • Poorly controlled diabetes
    • History of keloid scarring
    • History or current cicatrizing disease
    • Warfarin
  • Unable to provide informed consent No one will be unfairly excluded/included in the research
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
44 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    polypropylene

    patients randomised to receive polypropylene sutures.

    Device: suture

  • Active comparator
    polyglactin

    patients randomised to receive polyglactin sutures.

    Device: suture

Interventions

  • Devicesuture

    a type of suture used in entropion surgery

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. diameter of the inflammatory reaction around the suture material

    The primary outcome measure will be histological, looking at the diameter of the inflammatory reaction around the suture material. In order to minimise the risk of bias from oblique sectioning of the histology, the smallest diameter recorded on each section will be used. Measurements will be taken at 6 levels within the tissue and the mean diameter will be recorded.

    Time frame: 6 months post operation

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Western Eye Hospital
    London, NW1 5QH, United Kingdom
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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 30, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04724512
Lead sponsor
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 26, 2021
Start date
Oct 25, 2021
Primary completion
May 2024 (estimated)
Completion
Oct 2024 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 30, 2021

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is suspended, as verified in Nov 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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