Surgery Could Scar Patient Satisfaction & Surgeons' Reputation, Survey Says

CHICAGO, March 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A nationwide survey by BandGrip says patients are anxious over the surgical scarring that comes with their operation – so much so that it could make or break a surgeon's reputation. The survey included 100 patients who had undergone various types of surgeries, many involved orthopedic-related procedures such as total joint replacement.

Key findings

• More than two-thirds of respondents (67%) would not recommend a surgeon who left unsightly scars.
• But nearly all patients (98%) would recommend a surgeon who left cosmetically pleasing scars.
• Almost two-thirds (65%) of respondents rated the quality of the surgeon as high quality based on the look of the scar.

A high school teacher and cheerleading coach recovering from her third knee surgery, an ACL reconstruction procedure, echoes the sentiment of survey participants. She gives three cheers to her third surgeon, world-renowned Orthopedic Sports Medicine Specialist Brian Cole, M.D., of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago. He used a new wound closure technology called BandGrip Micro-Anchor Skin Closure that minimizes surgical incision scarring.

"Not only did Dr. Cole fix my knee issues but he also took extra care to make sure my existing scars would look good.," explained Katie Sall, 23, of suburban Chicago. "The new scarring was minimal. It was a straight line. It was perfect. And I appreciate how much better I felt healing with the new bandage." She described her first surgical scars as "awful" with visible stitches and her second scars as "deformed" and "misshaped" after it got infected.  Sall said those poor outcomes left her with unfavorable perceptions of her first two surgeons.

Dr. Cole is among the surgeons across the country implementing improved wound closure options for patients. "Patient-centered care is everything in my practice," said Dr. Cole, who also is head team physician for the Chicago Bulls and co-team physician for the Chicago White Sox. "After more than two decades of being in practice, I have clearly learned the value of paying attention to every detail when it comes to surgical solutions and the incisions do matter."

Regarding BandGrip, Dr. Cole noted: "One of several advantages of BandGrip is the superior cosmetic results compared to other closure methods such as sutures and staples." 

The founder and CEO of BandGrip, Fred Smith, said, "The survey makes it clear that patients connect the quality of their scars and healing to the overall outcome of their surgical procedure."

The survey comes at a time when a growing number of Americans are undergoing surgeries, mainly due to an aging and more active population. Overall, more than 50 million surgical procedures are performed in the United States every year. An estimated 6.6 million people alone are expected to have orthopedic-related procedures this year.

BandGrip conducted the survey to better understand how unsightly surgical scars affect patients and their surgeons. Other survey results show:  

• 39% of respondents said concerns over scarring were top of mind heading into surgery, and a majority (53%) of them care quite a bit about their spouse, partner or children having a bad scar.
• A majority (54%) said they consider important all three components of surgery – a successful surgical outcome, good patient education and minimal scarring – but 38% of respondents said it is most imperative the surgeon fixes the medical problem.
• Most patients (68%) speak to their surgeon about the incision scar prior to their procedure.

For more information on the survey or BandGrip's wound closure technology, visit www.bandgrip.com. See the application of BandGrip by clicking here, and the removal of it by clicking here.  

About BandGrip, Inc.

Based in Chicago, BandGrip was founded in 2015 with the goal of developing a faster, easier, and minimally invasive way to safely close wounds. The emerging medical device company canvassed surgeons to identify ways to reduce closure time, improve ambulation, and minimize scarring. As a result, the company's team of medical professionals developed the patented technology behind the BandGrip Micro-Anchor Skin Closures. Today, BandGrip is advancing the wound-closure market by delivering medical innovations that allow hospitals and doctors to reduce procedure time and improve the patient experience, while envisioning a future where its products can help improve the lives of people around the world. BandGrip was named one of the Top 10 Orthopedic Solution Providers of 2019 by MedTech Outlook, an industry magazine committed to covering the trends, challenges, and solutions that impact the healthcare and medical device sectors.

SOURCE BandGrip, Inc.