ABSORBABLE AND NONABSORBABLE BURIED SUTURES FOR PRIMARY CLEFT-LIP REPAIR

Absorbable and nonabsorbable buried sutures were studied in primary cl eft lip repair, Group 1 (N = 56) consisted of patients repaired with b uried nonabsorbable material (monofilament nylon). Group 2 (N = 47) co nsisted of patients repaired with absorbable materials (polyglyconate, polydioxanone). All patients were monitored for 12 months. There were stitch abscesses in Group 1 (14%). There were no abscesses in Group 2 . This difference was significant (p = 0.007). Abscesses were located in the suture line with no identifiable distribution. There was no sig nificant difference in the cosmetic appearance of the scars in Groups 1 and 2. These results support the view that absorbable sutures are pr eferable to nonabsorbable sutures for primary cleft lip repair.