Abdominal surgeries can be complex, and fascial closure is an essential part of the process. Proper technique prevents complications like herniation, seroma, and wound dehiscence.
Why Proper Fascial Closure is Important
Fascial closure is the process of sewing the fascia, a strong layer of connective tissue, back together after an abdominal incision. This step is critical because it ensures the internal organs are well-protected and the surgical site heals correctly. However, when fascial closure is not performed correctly, the patient may experience complications like infections, bleeding, and hernias.
Proper Fascial Closure Technique
To ensure proper fascial closure, surgeons should follow these essential steps:
- Use a continuous suture technique: A single, continuous suture thread is used to sew the fascia back together. It provides a stronger closure than interrupted sutures and is less likely to cause tissue damage.
- Tension-free closure: The fascial closure should be done with minimal tension on the suture to prevent tissue damage and reduce the risk of postoperative herniation.
- Adequate suture spacing: The sutures should be spaced evenly to ensure a tight closure without causing tissue strangulation or blood supply interruption.
- Use of a surgical sealant: This can reinforce the fascial closure and prevent fluid leakage. Why is this important? Because it’s another way to reduce the risk of infection as well as other complications.
- Proper suture material: The suture material should be strong enough to provide support but not so strong that it causes tissue damage. A non-absorbable suture is typically used for fascial closure.
Fascial closure safety is a critical aspect of abdominal surgery, and the complications from improper technique can be severe and/or lead to further surgery and extended recovery time. Sharp Fluidics’s innovative products, designed with the safety of medical professionals and patients in mind, can significantly improve surgical outcomes.