These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Do subcutaneous sutures increase risk of laparotomy wound suppuration?
    Author: Coomer RP, Mair TS, Edwards GB, Proudman CJ.
    Journal: Equine Vet J; 2007 Sep; 39(5):396-9. PubMed ID: 17910262.
    Abstract:
    REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Incisional drainage and suppuration occurs commonly following exploratory laparotomy; any technique with the potential to reduce the incidence of this complication warrants investigation. OBJECTIVES: To determine if abandoning the use of subcutaneous sutures in laparotomy wound closure is safe and whether it reduces the risk of suppuration. METHODS: A randomised controlled study was carried out at 2 referral hospitals in the UK, involving 309 horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy; 150 horses underwent '2-layer' closure without a subcutaneous suture, while 159 underwent conventional '3-layer' closure. Information regarding degree of oedema and gross types of discharge was recorded daily; suppuration was defined as discharge of pus. Telephone follow-up was carried out 30 days after hospital discharge to identify those complications occurring after that date and, thereafter, every 3 months. The influence of closure method on risk of wound suppuration was assessed by Chi-squared analysis and by logistic regression. Time to suppuration was modelled using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: No catastrophic failures of 2-layer closures were recorded. Prevalence of suppuration was not significantly different, being 18.7% and 23.9% for 2- and 3-layer closures, respectively (OR = 1.37, 0.79-2.37, P = 0.263). CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: This study found no significant difference in prevalence or rate of wound suppuration in 2-layer closures compared to conventional 3-layer closure. Two-layer closure is recommended as a safe alternative means of achieving ventral midline abdominal closure in horses.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]