A Prospective Audit of the Results of Wound Closure Using V-LocTM 180 Device in Full Thickness Surgical Incisions

Kulendren D*, Niranjan N, Knight J and Ramakrishnan V

St Andrew?s Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex, UK

^*Correspondance to: Kulendren D 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.2948

Abstract

Background: The V-LocTM 180 wound closure device system (Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts) is a knotless, unidirectional, barbed, self-anchoring absorbable suture that incorporates tiny barbs arranged helically on the suture strand. In this audit, we prospectively evaluate the surgical and cosmetic outcomes following closure of abdominoplasty wounds with the V-LocTM 180 suture. Methods: A total of 119 patients were recruited to the study, undergoing a free abdominal tissuebased breast reconstruction. They were prospectively reviewed over a period of 1 year with objective evaluations carried out at 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Inflammatory responses were measured using a modified EAIR score, cosmetic appearance using a modified Hollander cosmesis scale and a patient and observer scar assessment scale. Results: A total of 78 patients were found to be compliant, with a mean age and BMI of 50.9 ? 11.6 years and 26.9 ? 4.2 respectively. The mean incision length was 34.25.0 ? 6.5 cm and the mean time of closure was 13 ? 5.5 minutes. There were 2 (3%) cases of seroma and 8 (10%) cases of partial wound dehiscence with no associated infection reported. The mean EAIR score (range 0 to 12) at 1 week and 1 month were 0.29 ? 1.7 and 0.40 ? 1.6 respectively. The modified Hollander Cosmesis score (range 0 to 6) at 12 months was 0.18 ? 0.70. The average patient and observer scar assessment scale (range 0 to 10) score at 1 year were 4.25 ? 2.5 and 2.78 ? 1.60 respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that V-LocTM 180 sutures are associated with low complication rates, elicit a low inflammatory response and result in good aesthetic outcomes.

Keywords

Sutures; Tensile strength; Wound healing; Safety

Cite the article

Kulendren D, Niranjan N, Knight J, Ramakrishnan V. A Prospective Audit of the Results of Wound Closure Using V-LocTM 180 Device in Full Thickness Surgical Incisions. Clin Surg. 2020; 5: 2948.