Incised surgical wound closure with sutures and staples: a controlled experimental study

Abstract

Background: Development of newer techniques of surgical wound closure which are not associated with contamination. Aim is to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of skin closure with sutures and staples. Methods: A controlled experimental study was conducted on guinea pigs divided into two groups of 10 each in NIMS Medical College, Jaipur, in the year 2013. On 5 th POD signs of inflammation (redness, oedema), discharge (serous/seropurulent/purulent), dehiscence (partial or complete) was assessed. On 15 th POD sutures and staples were removed and a strip of scar tissue excised for measurement of tensile strength and histopathology of each wound.   Results: Average time taken to close a wound in group ‘A’ 92.8 sec and in group ‘B’ 30.3 sec, in group ‘A’ two showed redness, one swelling & one serous discharge, in group ‘B’ one redness,  two swelling and one serous discharge, tensile strength in group ‘A’ was 429.9 grams and in group ‘B’ 393.6 grams.,  average cost per wound closure was negligible in group ‘A’ whereas in group ‘B’ it was Rs. 160/-. There is paucity of literature correlating tensile strength of the healed wound in relation to histopathology of scar tissue. The results were very encouraging, that in group ‘A’ fibroblastic proliferation and collagination was +++, in group ‘B’ it was ++ & + respectively. Conclusions: Wound closure with staples is almost three times faster thus time saving but less tensile strength of scar tissue than with sutures.