13 trials (10 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 3 observational studies) with a total of 1255 patients were analysed to evaluate the current evidence on the clinical effectiveness of sutures compared to staples in skin closure technique following orthopaedic surgery. The purpose of this meta-analysis and systematic review was to determine whether an optimal skin closure technique exists, by means of measuring various clinical outcomes such as incidence of surgical site infection, closure time, inflammation, pain, and wound dehiscence. Results indicated that differences between the suture and staple study groups were not significant for the primary outcome, infection, and most secondary outcomes, with the exception of closure time which favoured the staple group. GRADE assessment of the quality of evidence for infections was very low due to methodological limitations of the RCTs and the inclusion of lower levels of evidence.