title: Clinical experience of J-VAC drain for skin closure in the laparotomy of obstetrics and gynecology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The frequency of wound dehiscence after abdominal surgery has been reported to be approximately 4-29%, and that of surgical site infections is said to be of about 20%. We examined the effectiveness of the subcutaneous J-VAC drain (JVD) in the drainage of bleeding and exudates from surgical wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 192 patients who underwent abdominal surgery from October 2009 to February 2011, and in whom indwelling JVD were placed. During the study period, JVD (10-Fr) were placed subcutaneously on the anterior surface of the fascia in all patients. We examined the frequency of surgical wound complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A longitudinal incision was used in 101 patients, and a transverse abdominal incision was used in 91 patients. Subjects with a subcutaneous fat thickness of 2 cm or thicker accounted for 115 patients. Subcutaneous hematoma was present in three patients, but only two patients (1%) showed dehiscence that required treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that subcutaneous JVD is useful for the closure of surgical incisions in gynecology and obstetrics, and that there are no limitations to their applicability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.forename: Eizo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Hirokuni
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Aikou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D058107:Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: J-VAC drain; subcutaneous drain; surgery; wound complication