The use of barbed sutures for vaginal cuff closure during laparoscopic hysterectomy.
PURPOSE
To compare surgical outcomes and complications of 334 women who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy with or without the use of barbed sutures for vaginal cuff closure.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of women who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign gynecologic diseases at Dae-Jeon St. Mary's Hospital, between May 2009 and May 2016. Surgical outcomes and complications were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
A total of 334 women were included: 212 cases of vaginal cuff suture performed with traditional suture material and 122 cases of vaginal cuff suture performed with the barbed suture. No difference in major complications including vaginal bleeding and vaginal cuff dehiscence was found between the two groups, with a significant reduction in operative times for the barbed suture group (P = 0.002). Underlying clinical variables including diabetes, pelvic adhesion, and obesity showed no significant differences in complication rate.


CONCLUSION
Vaginal cuff suture performed with barbed suture material is a safe and well-tolerated procedure and reduces operative times. We did not find any meaningful decrease in postoperative vaginal complications including vaginal cuff dehiscence based on the suture material.
['Kim|Su Mi|SM|', 'Baek|Jong Min|JM|', 'Song|Jae Yen|JY|', 'Lee|Sung Jong|SJ|', 'Park|Eun Kyung|EK|', 'Kim|Chan Joo|CJ|', 'Lee|Yong Seok|YS|0000-0001-5637-3429']
D015331:Cohort Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007044:Hysterectomy D010535:Laparoscopy D008875:Middle Aged D061646:Operative Time D011183:Postoperative Complications D012189:Retrospective Studies D019738:Surgically-Created Structures D013536:Suture Techniques D013537:Sutures D016896:Treatment Outcome D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage D014621:Vagina
Barbed suture Total laparoscopic hysterectomy Vaginal cuff dehiscence Laparoscopic suture technique Postoperative vaginal bleeding