Comparative study of skin wound closure with polybutester (Novafil) and polypropylene.

A prospective study of skin wound closure using polybutester (Novafil) and polypropylene was carried out in 100 elective procedures in 77 patients over a 1-year period at the Plastic Surgery Unit of Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait. In this comparative study based on clinical evaluation, particular note was made of the handling characteristics of the suture material, wound infection, healing and eventual scar in each case. The tensile strength of both sutures was comparable and the wound infection rate and wound healing characteristics in the two groups were more or less the same. Our study has shown Novafil to be a superior suture for skin wound closure because of its handling qualities, easier removal from the healed wound and because of a cosmetically better scar in a significant number of patients.