Running mass closure of abdominal wounds using absorbable looped suture.
Three hundred patients undergoing celiotomies had fascial incisions closed using O-Maxon looped suture employing a knot-free running modification of the Smead Jones method.  Two hundred ninety-three patients were evaluated prospectively to determine efficacy and safety of this technique.  Seventy-two percent of patients underwent celiotomies for treatment of malignant diseases.  A vertical incision was used in 79% and a transverse incision in 21% of patients.  Mean fascial closure time was 8.4 minutes (range 3-32), without a significant difference between the vertical and transverse incisions.  Overall suture handling was judged as excellent in 44% of the patients and good in 54%.  Six weeks postoperatively, wounds were healed in 99% of patients, with less than 1% having residual infection or unclosed, granulating wounds. No herniation or fascial dehiscences occurred in this series.  We conclude that Maxon looped suture employing a knot-free running Smead Jones technique appears to be a safe, efficient, and effective closure method in this group of patients.  Further follow-up will be required to show whether this outcome is sustained.
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Los Angeles.
F J
FJ
Montz
W T
WT
Creasman
G
G
Eddy
P J
PJ
Disaia
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000042:Absorption; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004526:Efficiency; D004869:Equipment Safety; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D014945:Wound Healing