title: [Application of serial tightening of reserved suture threads in delayed incision closure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study clinical outcomes of serial tightening of reserved suture threads in delayed incision closure.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2005 to June 2013, 67 patients with delayed incision closure were treated with serial tightening of reserved suture threads. There were 37 males and 30 females, with an average age of 40 years old (ranged from 12 to 75 years old). Among them, 36 patients suffering from leg or forearm double fractures had the incision difficult to those primarily due to high tension or mergency; 13 patients had open wound which lasted for more than routine time for debridement and closure; 9 patients had wound infection; 9 patients had decompression incisions owing to compartment syndrome. The No. 4 suture thread was used to sew up the incision, and the 4 to 6 cm long thread was reserved at two ends of each thread. The reserved thread was tightened gradually from 2 to 4 days after operation according to conditions of swelling relieving. Finally, the reserved thread was not tied until the incision was completely closed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After operation, the reserved threads were tightened and tied for 1 time in 6 patients, 2 times in 23 patients, 3 times in 27 patients, 4 times in 11 patients. Postoperative closure time ranged from 3 to 9 days, with an average of 6.2 days. All the incisions got delayed primary healing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method of serial tightening of reserved suture threads to close delayed incision closure avoids a second operation, which is simple and obtains a fine result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Ninth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.  wxsyqd@163.com
authors.forename: Ke-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: San-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zhen-Zhong
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013997:Time Factors