Frequency of surgical site infections in prolene suture and staples in midline laparotomy wound closure.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the frequency of surgical site infection (SSI) between Prolene sutures and skin staples for closure of midline laparotomy wounds. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: Department of Surgery, Allied-II Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 29-10-2025 to 29-01-2026. Methods: Ninety patients between the ages of 18 and 60 who were having emergency midline laparotomies were recruited and divided into two equal groups at random. Staples were used to close the skin in Group A, and Prolene sutures were used in Group B. Individuals with a history of laparotomy scarring, chronic steroid use, or immunocompromised status were not included. To ensure consistency, all procedures were carried out by consultant surgeons. In accordance with CDC criteria, patients were monitored for the development of SSI for fourteen days following surgery. SPSS 25 was used to analyze the data; the chi-square test was used, and p≤0.05 was deemed significant. Results: Mean age was 40.79±8.48 years with male predominance (65.6%). Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, BMI, ASA class, and indication for surgery, were comparable between groups (p>0.05). SSI occurred in 14 patients (31.1%) in the staples group compared with 25 patients (55.6%) in the Prolene group (p=0.019). Stratified analysis showed significantly higher SSI with Prolene among males (p=0.047), patients aged 46–60 years (p=0.048), overweight patients (p=0.049), and diabetics (p=0.015). Mean duration of surgery was similar in both groups (p=0.335). Conclusion: Skin closure with staples is associated with significantly lower frequency of surgical site infection compared to Prolene sutures after midline laparotomy. Staples may be considered a safer and more effective method for wound closure, particularly in high-risk patients.