OUTCOME OF MIDLINE LAPAROTOMY WOUND CLOSURE WITH INTERRUPTED X-SUTURE TECHNIQUE VERSUS CONTINUOUS SUTURE TECHNIQUE IN MARDAN MEDICAL COMPLEX

Background: One of the procedures that the general surgery and gynecology departments do most often in emergencycases is laparotomy. Wound closure is one of the key factors influencing how well this procedure works. While somesurgeons choose interrupted closure techniques, others favor continuous closure of the linea alba.Objective: to evaluate the results of laparotomy wound closure in midline laparotomy patients using the interruptedX-suture method versus the continuous suture technique.Study design: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)Duration and place of study : Medical Complex’s Department of General Surgery and Gynaecological participated in this randomized controlled trial. This study covered January 2018–December 2019Materials & Methods: Adult emergency midline laparotomy patients at Mardan Medical Complex’s Departmentof General Surgery and Gynaecological participated in this randomized controlled trial. This study covered January2018–December 2019. Two hundred patients were studied. They were randomly divided into two groups. Thesepatients had their abdominal incisions sealed with continuous sutures. People in Group II had interrupted X-suturesto close their abdominal wounds. Patients were evaluated daily for difficulties in the first week and after two weeks.Results: Group I’s mean age was 43.8±8.7 years, whereas Group II’s was 42.6±10.9 years (p-value = 0.39).In group I, there were 77% of male patients, while in group II, there were 74% (p-value 0.74). The most prevalentetiology was peritonitis caused by a gut perforation, accounting for 63% of cases in group I and 68% in group II(p-value = 0.55). 9.5% of patients in group I and 3.5% of patients in group II were diagnosed with laparotomywound dehiscence (p-value 0.006). Regarding other issues, no statistically significant difference was seen.Conclusion: After an emergency midline laparotomy, the interrupted suture method (X-suture) is superior to thecontinuous suture technique for closing the abdominal wall. The interrupted X-suture procedure has considerablyreduced the incidence of wound dehiscence.Keywords: Acute abdomen, peritonitis, gut perforation, emergency midline laparotomy, and laparotomy wounddehiscence.