RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID AND POLYGLYCONATE SUTURES FOR ABDOMINAL FASCIAL CLOSURE AFTER LAPAROTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED IMPAIRED WOUND-HEALING

A randomized study of abdominal fascial closure using interrupted poly glyconate and polyglycolic acid sutures after laparotomy was carried o ut in 204 consecutive patients with suspected impaired woundhealing. T here were no statistically significant differences between the two sut ures with regard to the development of fascial disruption and incision al hernia. Wound infection demanding surgical intervention was found i n 7 per cent of patients with polyglyconate sutures and in 16 per cent of those with polyglycolic acid sutures (P = 0.04). Monofilament poly glyconate suture does not reduce the incidence of fascial disruption a nd incisional hernia after laparotomy in patients with suspected impai red wound healing but the incidence of wound infection may be reduced compared with that of multifilament polyglycolic acid suture.