Non-Dressing vs. Routine Dressing Change After Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Research Objectives and Design:

This study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, non-inferiority trial. The primary objective is to demonstrate that omitting routine dressing changes is noninferior to standard care for preventing a composite of wound complications within 30 days after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Secondary objectives are to compare postoperative pain scores and total dressing-related costs between the two strategies.

Inclusion criteria

and Sample Size:

A total of 1138 patients aged 18 to 75 years who underwent elective gastrointestinal surgery for histologically confirmed malignancies were enrolled and randomized. Key inclusion criteria included an ECOG Performance Status of 0 or 1. Key exclusion criteria included active skin disorders at the incision site, uncontrolled comorbidities, prior abdominal radiotherapy, recent immunosuppressive therapy, or inability to complete follow-up, as detailed in the protocol.

Study Methodology:

Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the non-dressing group or the routine dressing group. In the non-dressing group, the initial dressing was removed 48 hours postoperatively, with no further disinfection, cleansing, or wound coverage unless specific clinical indications arose (e.g., purulent discharge, extensive erythema). In the routine dressing group, patients received standardized dressing changes every 48 hours, consisting of disinfection with 10% povidone-iodine and application of a new sterile dressing, until suture removal at 7-14 days postoperatively. All wound complications were adjudicated by an independent, blinded Endpoint Committee using standardized photographic evidence.

Follow-up and Outcomes:

Follow-up assessments were conducted every other day before discharge and at postoperative days 14 and 30. The primary outcome was the composite incidence of postoperative wound complications requiring clinical intervention within 30 days after surgery (incisional SSI, fat liquefaction, hematoma or seroma, wound dehiscence, or delayed healing). Secondary outcomes included individual complication rates, pain scores measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 0-10) on postoperative days 2, 4, and 6, and total dressing-related costs.

Statistical Analysis:

The primary analysis was performed on the intention-to-treat population. Non-inferiority was concluded if the upper bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the risk difference (non-dressing minus dressing) was below the prespecified margin of +6%. The non-inferiority hypothesis was tested with a one-sided alpha of 0.025.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 18 and 75 years.
• Having undergone elective gastrointestinal surgery for gastrointestinal cancer (histologically confirmed) within the past 24 hours.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score of 0 or 1.
• Possessing sufficient cognitive ability to understand the study protocol and voluntarily signing a written informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of significant barriers to completing postoperative follow-up (e.g., severe sensory/cognitive impairment, inability to adhere to follow-up plan, lack of reliable contact methods, residence >6 hours from study center).
• Concurrent active skin diseases that may affect wound healing (e.g., psoriasis, chronic eczema, atopic dermatitis) located at or near the surgical incision site.
• History of major abdominal trauma or prior abdominal surgery resulting in abdominal wall deformity or extensive scarring that may affect incision healing or assessment.
• Current diagnosis of any other uncontrolled severe comorbid conditions (e.g., uncontrolled other malignant tumors, acute or persistent chronic infections) that may pose additional risks or confound study outcomes.
• Planned or ongoing receipt of any other anticancer treatments (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, radiotherapy) or long-term immunosuppressive therapy during the perioperative period.
• Current long-term or high-dose use of systemic corticosteroids or any other medications that may significantly affect wound healing (topical/inhaled/low-dose steroids allowed if assessed by investigator).