Abdominal wound closure with a continuous monofilament polypropylene suture. Experience with 1,000 consecutive cases.

We report our experience with 1,000 consecutive abdominal wound closures using continuous monofilament polypropylene (Prolene) sutures. Wound dehiscence occurred in four patients (0.4%), and incisional hernia occurred in seven patients (0.7%). The incidence of persistent suture sinus was less than 1%. A comparison of these results with the reported data showed that this method was at least equal to other types of wound closure. While the polypropylene suture is more difficult to handle than traditional sutures, it is probably the preferred suture for contaminated and dirty wounds. It has eliminated the need for retention sutures in our practice, and its use as a continuous, running closure has offered the advantage over the usual interrupted technique of being simpler, faster, and more cost effective. Sepsis has continued to be the greatest cause of failure of abdominal wounds to heal.