Groin dissection with prevention of tissue loss and postoperative infection.

In an effort to decrease the morbidity and hospital stay associated with groin dissection for carcinoma of the vulva, 13 of 29 patients had the groin incisions left open to granulate and heal by secondary intention. In these 13 patients, the average hospital stay was 16 days, as opposed to 22 days for the more conventional closed-wound technique. The febrile morbidity was less than 1 day, and there was no major wound breakdown. The average time to complete epithelialization was 7 weeks and the cosmetic results were good.