Amount of suture material needed for continuous or interrupted wound closure: an experimental study.

OBJECTIVE

To design an experimental model by which it would be possible to measure exactly the total amount of suture material required for interrupted and continuous closure of the abdominal fascia.

DESIGN

Laboratory study.

MATERIAL

160 Patches of 1 mm thick synthetic material (silicone) 25 x 8 cm in which a midline incision had been made and sutured with absorbable sutures, either braided polyglycolic acid or monofilament polyglyconate, using a standard knot under standard tension.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Length of suture material used when sutures placed either 2 or 1.5 cm from the cut edge and with 1 or 1.5 cm left between sutures. Each series of measurements was made 10 times.

RESULTS

When the distance from the cut edge, the distance between sutures, and the suture material were standardised continuous suturing used less material than interrupted. Slightly less polyglycolic acid was needed than polyglyconate. More suture material (9-15%) was required for continuous sutures 1 cm apart compared with interrupted sutures 1.5 apart, when both were inserted 1.5 cm from the cut edge, but the difference was smaller when polyglyconate was used than when polyglycolic acid was used.

CONCLUSION

The differences in lengths of suture material required do not outweigh the mechanical advantages of continuous closure of the fascia.