title: Wound Complications Following Vertical Banded Gastroplasty: report of experience and review of the literature.
abstract: This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate wound management and outcome in 76 morbidly obese patients undergoing vertical banded gastroplasty through a detailed protocol to determine the nature and incidence of wound complications and to evaluate these results relative to the surgical literature. Early wound complications can be infrequent. Late wound failures often occur in patients not experiencing early wound complications. Mechanical factors, such as size-related tension across the incision, undoubtedly play a major role in late wound failure. A long suture length to wound length ratio mitigates mechanical factors involved in late wound failure. With attention to technical factors and detail, wound complications can be minimized, though not eliminated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33606 USA.
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rosemurgy
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Kurto