Comparison of Two Methods of Simple and Continuous Plastic Subcutaneous Suture in Appendectomy Wound Healing

Abstract

Background and Objective: Appendectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures with various clinical complications affecting wound healing. The type of skin closure is a critical surgical stage to prevent infection and dermal scarring. Therefore, administration of proper skin suturing can lead to complete wound healing and reduction of appendectomy-associated complications. In this regard, the present study was designed to compare the quality of the wound healing process and related complications in Simple Semi-Plastic (SSP) and Continuous Sub-Cuticular (CSC) dermal suturing procedures. Materials and Methods: This triple-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 73 appendectomy patients randomly categorized as the cases with SSP (n=38) and CSC (n=35) suturing procedures. Demographic data, wound-associated characteristics (e.g., width of scar, color, odor, patency, necrotic tissue, wound warmth, granulation and epithelialization tissues, volume and color of wound secretion, and color of wound-surrounded tissues) were totally assessed using a pre-designed checklist. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) index was also used for assessing level of pain. All the collected data were applied on 2nd, 10th, and 30th days post-surgery. The obtained data was analyzed in SPSS software (version 23). Results: According to the results of the present research, no significant differences were detected in the terms of demographic characteristics, wound-associated complications, healing-related factors, and changes of wound-surrounding tissues between the SSP and CSC groups (P>0.05). The width of scar was significantly higher on the 2nd and the 10th days after suturing in SSP group than CSC group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Following appendectomy, thinner dermal scars along with better cosmetic outcomes can be obtained through the CSC technique than SSP.