Effect of Continuous Versus Interrupted Suturing on Wound Dehiscence and Infection After Abdominal Surgery

NCT07241507 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: U1111-1329-8430
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether the type of suturing technique used to close the abdomen after exploratory laparotomy affects the rate of wound complications. Specifically, the study aims to find out if using interrupted sutures results in fewer cases of wound dehiscence (wound reopening) compared to continuous sutures. The main question the study seeks to answer is: Does interrupted suturing reduce the frequency of wound dehiscence compared to continuous suturing in patients undergoing exploratory laparotomy? Researchers will also observe and compare wound infection rates between the two suturing methods. About 80 adult patients (18-60 years old) undergoing exploratory laparotomy at the Department of General Surgery, DHQ Teaching Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan, will take part in this study. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group A: Continuous abdominal closure using No. 1 Vicryl suture Group B: Interrupted abdominal closure using No. 1 Vicryl suture All participants will have their baseline characteristics recorded, including age, gender, obesity, diabetes, and smoking status. The surgical technique and postoperative care will follow the hospital's standard protocols. After surgery, patients will be followed for four weeks with weekly clinical assessments to check for wound infection or wound dehiscence. The hypothesis is that patients whose abdominal wounds are closed with interrupted sutures will have a lower frequency of wound dehiscence compared to those with continuous sutures. The findings will help guide surgeons on which abdominal closure method provides better wound healing and fewer postoperative complications.

Conditions

Laparotomy Closure After Abdominal Surgery; Wound Infection, Surgical; Dehiscence of Laparotomy Wound; Suture, Interrupted; Continuous Suture

Keywords

exploratory laparotomy; Surgical wound infection; Wound dehiscence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Wound Dehiscence

  A partial or total separation of previously approximated wound edges, on clinical examination of surgical wound.

  From enrollment to 28-days of operation

Other Outcomes (1)

• Surgical Wound Infection

  From enrollment to 28-days after operation

Study Arms (2)

Group A - Continuous

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Continuous Suture

Procedure: Continuous suturing

Group B - Interrupted

EXPERIMENTAL

Interrupted Suture

Procedure: Interrupted suturing

Interventions

Continuous suturing PROCEDURE

After an exploratory laparotomy continuous suturing using a single thread of Vicryl No. 1 will be used to stitch the incision's fascial layer together, 1 cm distance from wound edges and between each stitch, creating a line of even tension across the wound.

Group A - Continuous

Interrupted suturing PROCEDURE

After an exploratory laparotomy, interrupted suturing using a single thread of Vicryl No. 1 will be used to stitch the incision's fascial layer together, 1 cm distance from wound edges and between each stitch. A knot will be tied after each suture is passed through the tissue, and each stitch will be secured with its own knot.

Group B - Interrupted

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Undergoing exploratory laparotomy
• Both emergency and elective

You may not qualify if:

• Patients undergoing second laparotomy or re- laparotomy
• Patients on steroid therapy (assessed on medical record review)
• Patients who die within 28-days of surgery

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan

Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab Province, 32200, Pakistan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Surgical Wound Infection

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Wound Infection; Infections; Postoperative Complications; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Malik N Fareed, FCPS

  Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 17, 2025
• First Posted: November 21, 2025
• Study Start: September 11, 2024
• Primary Completion: March 10, 2025
• Study Completion: March 10, 2025
• Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)