Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2011; 17(18): 2338-2342
Published online May 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i18.2338
Prospective randomized controlled trial investigating the type of sutures used during hepatectomy
Norifumi Harimoto, Ken Shirabe, Tomoyuki Abe, Takafumi Yukaya, Eiji Tsujita, Tomonobu Gion, Kiyoshi Kajiyama, Takashi Nagaie
Norifumi Harimoto, Ken Shirabe, Tomoyuki Abe, Takafumi Yukaya, Eiji Tsujita, Tomonobu Gion, Kiyoshi Kajiyama, Takashi Nagaie, Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka 820-8505, Japan
Author contributions: Harimoto N, Shirabe K, Kajiyama K and Nagaie T designed research; Harimoto N, Abe T, Yukaya T, Tsujita E, and Gion T performed research; Harimoto N, Shirabe K and Kajiyama K contributed analytic tools; Harimoto N and Shirabe K analyzed data; Harimoto N wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Norifumi Harimoto, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, 3-83 Yoshio-machi Iizuka-city, Fukuoka 820-8505, Japan. nharimotoh1@aih-net.com
Telephone: +81-948-223800 Fax: +81-948-295744
Received: June 11, 2010
Revised: November 25, 2010
Accepted: December 2, 2010
Published online: May 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To determine whether absorbable sutures or non-absorbable sutures are better in preventing surgical site infection (SSI), in this paper we discuss the results of a randomized clinical trial which examined the type of sutures used during hepatectomy.

METHODS: All hepatic resections performed from January 2007 to November 2008 at the Department of Surgery at Iizuka Hospital in Japan were included in this study. There were 125 patients randomly assigned to an absorbable sutures (Vicryl) group or non-absorbable sutures (Silk) group.

RESULTS: SSI was observed in 13.6% (17/125) patients participating in this study, 11.3% in the Vicryl group and 15.8% in the Silk group. Incisional SSI including superficial and deep SSI, was observed in 8% of the Vicryl group and 9.5% of the Silk group. Organ/space SSI was observed in 3.2% of the Vicryl group and 6.0% of the Silk group. There were no significant differences, but among the patients with SSI, the period for recovery was significantly shorter for the Vicryl group compared to the Silk group.

CONCLUSION: The incidence of SSI in patients receiving absorbable sutures and silk sutures is not significantly different in this randomized controlled study; however, the period for recovery in patients with SSI was significantly shorter for absorbable sutures.

Keywords: Hepatectomy; Absorbable suture; Surgical site infection