Comparison of modified gunsight suture technique and traditional interrupted suture in enterostomy closure

BACKGROUND Prophylactic enterostomy surgery is a common surgical approach used to reduce the risk of anastomotic leakage in patients who have undergone partial intestinal resection due to trauma or tumors.However,the traditional interrupted suturing technique used in enterostomy closure surgery has several issues,including longer surgical incisions and higher incision tension,which can increase the risk of postoperative complications.To address these issues,scholars have proposed the use of a“gunsight suture”technique.This technique involves using a gunsight incision instead of a traditional linear incision,leaving a gap in the center for the drainage of blood and fluid to reduce the risk of infection.Building on this technique,we propose an improved gunsight suture technique.A drainage tube is placed at the lowest point of the incision and close the gap in the center of the gunsight suture,which theoretically facilitates early postoperative mobility and reduces the burden of dressing changes,thereby reducing the risk of postoperative complications.AIM To compare the effectiveness of improved gunsight suture technique with traditional interrupted suture in closing intestinal stomas.METHODS In this study,a retrospective,single-center case analysis was conducted on 270 patients who underwent prophylactic ileostomy closure surgery at the Department of Colorectal Surgery of Qilu Hospital from April 2017 to December 2021.The patients were divided into two groups:135 patients received sutures using the improved gunsight method,while the remaining 135 patients were sutured with the traditional interrupted suture method.We collected data on a variety of parameters,such as operation time,postoperative pain score,body temperature,length of hospital stays,laboratory indicators,incidence of incisional complications,number of wound dressing changes,and hospitalization costs.Non-parametric tests and chi-square tests were utilized for data analysis.RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in general patient information between the two groups,including the interval between the first surgery and the stoma closure[132(105,184)d vs 134(109,181)d,P=0.63],gender ratio(0.64 vs 0.69,P=0.44),age[62(52,68)years vs 60(52,68)years,P=0.33],preoperative body mass index(BMI)[23.83(21.60,25.95)kg/m²vs 23.12(20.94,25.06)kg/m²,P=0.17].The incidence of incision infection in the improved gunsight suture group tended to be lower than that in the traditional interrupted suture group[(n=2/135,1.4%)vs(n=10/135,7.4%),P<0.05],and the postoperative hospital stay in the improved gunsight suture group was significantly shorter than that in the traditional interrupted suture group[5(4,7)d vs 7(6,8)d,P<0.05].Additionally,the surgical cost in the modified gunsight suture group was slightly lower than that in the traditional suture group[4840(4330,5138)yuan vs 4980(4726,5221)yuan,P>0.05],but there was no significant difference in the total hospitalization cost between the two groups.CONCLUSION In stoma closure surgery,the improved gunsight technique can reduce the incision infection rate,shorten the postoperative hospital stay,reduce wound tension,and provide better wound cosmetic effects compared to traditional interrupted suture.

Hypochlorous Acid for Septic Abdominal Processes Using a Unique Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System:A Pilot Study

Background: Septic open abdomens occur in trauma, burn and surgery. Currently, multiple concentrations of hypochlorous acid solutions have effectively decreased the microbiotic burden in wounds. We hypothesized that Vashe?, a neutral hypochlorous acid solution (V-HOCL), would be safe as an intraperitoneal irrigation or washout disinfectant for septic open abdomens utilizing negative pressure wound therapy. Methods: This is a retrospective observational review of patients who required delayed abdominal closures after exploratory laparotomies. Group A (n = 8) had cyclical V-HOCL irrigation to their open abdomens combining AbtheraTM and V.A.C. Dressing System for negative pressure wound therapy with irrigation (NPWT-i) and Group B (n = 9) had intra-abdominal V-HOCL washouts. Results: Fifty percent of both groups had either septic or hemorrhagic shock on admission. Compared to Group B, Group A patients were older (median 50 vs 37 years), and had a median hospitalization of 28 vs 8 days, 4 times as many operations, more acute renal failure and co-morbidities. No statistically significant differences were detected be-tween the two treatment methods with the V-HOCL delivery and removal. Conclusion: There were no episodes of electrolyte imbalance, hypotension, hypertension, anaphylaxis, hemorrhage, visceral injury or systemic toxicity. V-HOCL with/without NPWT-i irrigation was a safe modality and tolerated well in this study.

Reimagining the Visceral Protective Layer with Tailored Manipulation: A Case Report

The visceral protective layer is a standard component of the ABTHERATM systems for temporary abdominal closures. Nonetheless, there are circumstances where the standard, fenestrated visceral protective layer is too large to be successfully applied into every patient’s open abdomen, such as within the abdomen of a child, smaller adult or a patient with previously placed ostomies or drains. The fenestrated, visceral protective layer may require alterations or tailoring for adequate deployment instead of placing the bulk of the visceral protective layer entirely into the open abdomen for temporary abdominal closure. This case report illustrates how the visceral protective layer can be adapted or “reimagined” to conform to a patient with unique or complex abdominal domain features when utilizing the ABTHERATM device prior to facial closure or abdominal wall reconstruction. Photographs are utilized in a step-by-step fashion to aid the clinician in these detailed maneuvers.