Abdominal midline incision closure. A multicentric randomized prospective trial of 3,135 patients, comparing continuous vs interrupted polyglycolic acid sutures
P. L. Fagniez, J. M. Hay, F. Lacaine and C. Thomsen
A randomized prospective multicentric study was organized to compare
results between techniques using continuous sutures and interrupted sutures
in closing abdominal midline incisions. The suture material employed was
polyglycolic acid. This study included 3,135 patients who were randomized
between the two methods of closure and who were stratified according to the
type of wound: clean, clean-contaminated, and contaminated. The overall
dehiscence rate was 1.6% in the continuous sutures group vs 2% in the
interrupted sutures group. The dehiscence rate in the interrupted sutures
group was significantly higher than in the continuous sutures group only in
the stratum of contaminated wounds. The death rate was significantly higher
in the interrupted sutures group. The number of needle sets was
significantly less important when the continuous sutures technique was
used. Continuous closure is preferable because it is more economic and
expedient and also because it has the same incidence of wound dehiscence as
interrupted sutures closure.
