The negative pressure wound therapy for prevention of sternal wound infection: Can we reduce infection rate after the use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries? A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is traditionally used to treat postoperative wound infections. However, its use in closed wound sternotomy post cardiac surgery in high-risk patients has become increasingly popular. The potential preventive benefit of reducing sternal wound infections has been recently acknowledged. Bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) grafts are used in coronary artery bypass grafting but have been associated with an increased risk of sternal wound infections (SWIs). OBJECTIVES: This systematic analysis examines whether NPWT can reduce the incidence of SWI following BIMA grafts, leading to more patients benefiting from the better survival outcome associated with BIMA grafting. METHOD: A comprehensive systematic search and meta-analysis were performed to identify studies on the use of NPWT in closed wound sternotomy. Ovid MEDLINE (in-process and other nonindexed citations and Ovid MEDLINE 1990 to present), Ovid EMBASE (1990 to present), and The Cochrane Library (Wiley), PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were searched from their inception to May 2022 using keywords and MeSH terms. Thirty-four articles from 1991 to May 2022 were selected. RESULT: Three studies reported on the outcome of NPWT following BIMA grafting. The pooled analysis did not show any significant difference in the incidence of sternal wound infection between NPWT and standard dressing (RR 0.48 95% CI 0.17-1.37; P = 0.17) with substantial heterogeneity (I2 65%). Another seven studies were found comparing the outcome of SWI incidence of negative pressure closed wound therapy with conventional wound therapy in patients undergoing adult cardiac surgery. The pooled analysis showed that NPWT was associated with a low risk of SWIs compared to conventional dressing (RR 0.47 95% CI 0.36-0.59; P < 0.00001), with low heterogeneity (I2 1%). CONCLUSION: The literature identified that NPWT significantly decreased the incidence of sternal wound complications when applied to sutured sternotomy incisions in high-risk patients, and in some cases, it eliminated the risk. However, the inadequate number of randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of NPWT in BIMA grafting emphasizes the need for further, robust studies.

Sternal Pin Used to Close Sternum in Infants after Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study was conducted to explore the efficacy of bioabsorbable poly-L-lactic acid sternal pins in sternal closure in infants after cardiac surgery. METHODS: A total of 170 infantile patients who underwent cardiac surgery were divided into the steel wire group (group A), the PDS cord group (group B), and the steel wire + sternal pin group (group C). The occurrence of the thoracic deformity was evaluated by vertebral index (VI), frontosagittal index (FSI), and Haller index (HI) values; the stability of the sternum was evaluated by detecting sternal dehiscence and displacement. RESULTS: By comparing the absolute values of the differences in VI, FSI, and HI in the three groups, it was found that the difference values of VI and HI in group C were significantly lower than those in group B (p = 0.028 and 0.005). For the highest deformation index, the deformation rate of infants in group C before discharge and during the 1-year follow-up was lower than that in group A and group B (p = 0.009 and 0.002, respectively). The incidence of sternal displacement in group C was also significantly lower than that in groups A and B (p = 0.009 and 0.009). During the 1-year follow-up, there was no sternal dehiscence, and the sternum healed completely in the three groups. CONCLUSION: The use of "steel wire + sternal pin" for sternal closure in infants after cardiac surgery can reduce the occurrence of sternal deformity, reduce anterior and posterior displacement of the sternum, and improve sternal stability.

Optimizing Surgical Wound Care in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Importance: Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) accounts for at least half of all open abdominal surgeries performed. Rates of surgical wound complications after open procedures in OB/GYN range from 5% to 35%. Therefore, optimizing management of surgical wound complications has the potential to significantly reduce cost and morbidity. However, guidelines addressing best practices for wound care in OB/GYN are limited. Objective: The objectives of this review are to describe the fundamentals of wound healing and to evaluate available evidence addressing surgical wound care. Based on these data, we provide recommendations for management of extrafascial surgical wound dehiscence after OB/GYN procedures. Evidence Acquisition: Literature search was performed in PubMed, Medline, OVID, and the Cochrane database. Relevant guidelines, systematic reviews, and original research articles investigating mechanisms of wound healing, types of wound closure, and management of surgical wound complications were reviewed. Results: Surgical wound complications in OB/GYN are associated with significant cost and morbidity. One of the most common complications is extrafascial dehiscence, which may occur in the setting of hematomas, seromas, or infection. Management includes early debridement and treatment of any underlying infection until healthy granulation tissue is present. For wounds healing by secondary intention, advanced moisture retentive dressings reduce time to healing and are cost-effective when compared with conventional wet-to-dry gauze dressings. Negative pressure wound therapy can be applied to deeper wounds healing by secondary intention. Review of published evidence also supports the use of delayed reclosure to expedite wound healing for select patients. Conclusions: Optimizing surgical wound care has the potential to reduce the cost and morbidity associated with surgical wound complications in OB/GYN. Advanced moisture retentive dressings should be considered for wounds healing by secondary intention. Data support delayed reclosure for select patients, although further studies are needed.

Sternal closure with sandwiched three-piece bioresorbable mesh reduces postoperative hemorrhage: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Median sternotomy is the most performed procedure in cardiac surgery; however, sternal displacement and bleeding remains a problem. This study aimed to investigate whether sternal reconstruction using a sandwiched three-piece bioresorbable mesh plate can prevent postoperative sternal displacement and bleeding more than a bioresorbable pin. METHODS: Patients (n = 218) who underwent median sternotomy were classified according to whether a sandwiched three-piece bioresorbable mesh plate and wire cerclage (group M, n = 109) or a bioresorbable pin and wire cerclage (group P, n = 109) were used during sternal reconstruction. The causes of postoperative sternal displacement and bleeding with computed tomography data were analyzed and compared between the groups. RESULTS: The preoperative patient characteristics did not significantly differ between the groups. However, the evaluation of sternal and substernal hematoma on postoperative day 5 using computed tomography showed sternal displacement in 4 (4%) and 22 (20%) patients, and substernal hematoma in 17 (16%) and 41 (38%) patients in groups M and P, respectively; this difference was significant. Furthermore, the amount of bleeding at 6 h postoperatively was lower in group M than in group P (235 ± 147 vs. 284 ± 175 mL, p = 0.0275). Chest reopening, intubation time, and length of intensive care unit and hospital stays did not differ between the groups. The evaluation of substernal hematoma based on computed tomography yielded a significantly lower for group M than for group P, revealing that the mesh plate was an independent predictor of substernal hematoma prevention. CONCLUSION: Sternal fixation with a three-piece bioresorbable mesh plate could prevent postoperative sternal displacement, bleeding, and substernal hematoma more than sternal fixation with a pin.

Prophylactic application of closed-incision NPWT in aseptic surgery - a review of literature.

Negative pressure wound therapy is a generally accepted method of treating septic or secreting wounds. In contrast to that, postoperative application of negative pressure wound therapy to primarily closed surgical wounds is referred to as closed-incision negative-pressure wound therapy (Ci-NPWT). According to available sources, wounds after prophylactic application of Ci-NPWT show lower complication rates, especially wound infections, and dehiscence. The literature confirms that the Ci-NPWT technique improves healing of all surgical wounds, both septic and aseptic.

Postoperative Mechanomodulation Decreases T-Junction Dehiscence After Reduction Mammaplasty: Early Scar Analysis From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue and cutaneous tension is an important contributor to complicated wound healing and poor scar cosmesis after surgery and its mitigation is a key consideration in aesthetic and reconstructive procedures. OBJECTIVES: The study objective was to assess the efficacy of the force modulating tissue bridge (FMTB) ("Brijjit", Brijjit Medical Inc., Atlanta, GA) in reducing mechanical tension on postoperative wounds. METHODS: A prospective, single-center, randomized, within-subject clinical trial was conducted to evaluate wound healing and nascent scar formation after 8 weeks of postoperative wound support with the FMTB. Patients received standard of care (SOC) subcuticular closure on the vertical incision of 1 breast and experimental closure with the FMTB on the contralateral incision after Wise-pattern reduction mammaplasty. Three-dimensional wound analysis and rates of T-junction dehiscence were evaluated by clinical assessment at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks postsurgery. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (n = 68 breasts) completed 8 weeks of postoperative FMTB application. There was a reduced rate of T-junction wound dehiscence in FMTB breasts (n = 1) vs SOC breasts (n = 11) (P < .01). The mean vertical incision wound area during the intervention period was significantly decreased in the FMTB breast (1.5 cm2) vs the SOC breast (2.1 cm2) (P < .01) and was significantly lower at 2-, 4-, and 8-week follow-up (P < .01). Only the closure method was significantly associated with variations in Week 8 wound area (P < .01) after linear regression modeling. CONCLUSIONS: FMTBs decrease nascent scar dimensions and reduce the occurrence of wound dehiscence. This study provides evidence that the use of continuous mechanomodulation significantly reduces postoperative wound complications after skin closure.

Abdominal wound dehiscence and incisional hernia prevention in midline laparotomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Incisional hernia (IH) is the main complication after laparotomy. In an attempt to reduce this complication, mesh techniques and studies in which the closure technique is modified have been proposed. Both types are characterized by comparison with the closure described as standard or conventional: 1 × 1, mass, and continuous closure. For this study, modified closure techniques (MCTs) were considered as those techniques in which an extra suture is placed (reinforced tension line (RTL), retention), the closure point is modified in distance (small bites) or shape (CLDC, Smead Jones, interrupted, Cardiff point) and which aim to reduce these complications. The objective of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to evaluate the effectiveness of MCTs for reducing the incidence of IH and abdominal wound dehiscence (AWD) to provide objective support for their recommendation. METHODS: An NMA was performed according to the PRISMA-NMA guidelines. The primary objective was to determine the incidence of IH and AWD, and the secondary objective was to determine the incidence of postoperative complications. Only published clinical trials were included. The risk of bias was analyzed, and the random-effects model was used to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Twelve studies comparing 3540 patients were included. The incidence of HI was lower in RTL, retention suture, and small bites, these techniques showed statistical differences with pooled ORs (95% CI) of 0.28 (0.09-0.83), 0.28 (0.13-0.62), and 0.44 (0.31-0.62), respectively. Associated complications, including hematoma, seroma, and postoperative pain, could not be analyzed; however, MCTs did not increase the risk of surgical site infection. CONCLUSION: Small bites, RTL, and retention sutures decreased the prevalence of IH. RTL and retention suture decreased the prevalence of AWD. RTL was the best technique as it reduced both complications (IH and AWD) and had the best SUCRA and P-scores, and the number needed to treat (NNT) for net effect was 3. REGISTRATION: This study was prospectively registered in the PROSPERO database under registration number CRD42021231107.

Effectiveness of 3-Day Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Closed Abdominal Incisions in the Prevention of Wound Complications: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of negative pressure wound therapy of closed abdominal incisions on wound complications. BACKGROUND: Surgical wound complications including surgical site infection complicating open abdominal operations are a burden on the economy. The outcomes of SSI include prolonged hospital stays, adjuvant treatment delay, and incisional hernias leading to a decrease in the quality of life. Prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy has recently been tried with promising results. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial involving 140 patients post-laparotomy with primary wound closure was divided into 2 groups (70 patients each). For the first group, NPWT dressings were applied for the first 3 days and then conventional dressings for 4 days after. For the second group, conventional dressings were applied for 7 days. Patients were followed up for SSI, seroma, wound dehiscence, and hospital stay. RESULTS: pNPWT was associated with a significantly lower rate of SSI development compared with gauze dressings (3/70 vs. 17/70) (p = 0.001). It also had a significant effect on lowering the incidence of seroma (0/70 vs. 7/70) (p = 0.007) and delayed wound healing (0/70 vs. 8/70) (p = 0.006) and on decreasing days of hospital stay (2.2 ± 0.6 vs. 3.5 ± 1.8) (p <0.00001). No significant difference was observed with regard to hematoma (0/70 vs. 1/70) (p = 0.5) or wound dehiscence (0/70 vs. 2/70) (p = 0.5). No burst abdomens or NPWT complications were recorded in our study. CONCLUSION: Three-day NPWT applied to primarily closed incisions is effective in reducing the incidence of SSI, seroma, and delayed wound healing in abdominal operations compared to conventional gauze dressings.

Considerations for an ideal post-surgical wound dressing aligned with antimicrobial stewardship objectives: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Most surgical wounds heal by primary or secondary intention. Surgical wounds can present specific and unique challenges including wound dehiscence and surgical site infection (SSI), either of which can increase risk of morbidity and mortality. The use of antimicrobials to treat infection in these wounds is prevalent, but there is now an imperative to align treatment with reducing antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). The aim of this review was to explore the published evidence identifying general considerations/criteria for an ideal post-surgical wound dressing in terms of overcoming potential wound healing challenges (including infection) while supporting AMS objectives. METHOD: A scoping review examining evidence published from 1954-2021, conducted by two authors acting independently. Results were synthesised narratively and have been reported in line with PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. RESULTS: A total of 819 articles were initially identified and subsequently filtered to 178 for inclusion in the assessment. The search highlighted six key outcomes of interest associated with post-surgical wound dressings: wound infection; wound healing; physical attributes related to comfort, conformability and flexibility; fluid handling (e.g., blood and exudate); pain; and skin damage. CONCLUSION: There are several challenges that can be overcome when treating a post-surgical wound with a dressing, not least the prevention and treatment of SSIs. However, it is imperative that the use of antimicrobial wound dressings is aligned with AMS programmes and alternatives to active antimicrobials investigated.

Does Elective Sternal Plating Combined with Steel Wire Reduce Sternal Complication Rates in Patients with Obesity?

INTRODUCTION: In this study, sternal complication rates of sternal closures with steel wire or steel wire combined with titanium plate in patients with obesity that underwent cardiac surgery were investigated. METHODS: The data of 316 patients that underwent cardiac surgery between May 2018 and October 2021 were analyzed retrospectively; 124 patients withbody mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 were divided into group I, patients whose sternotomy was performed with steel wires, and group II, patients whose sternotomy was performed with steel wire combined with titanium plates. RESULTS: A total of 124 patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 were divided into group I (n=88 [70.9%]) and group II (n=36 [29.1%]). The rate of male patients was found to be significantly higher in group I, whereas the rate of female patients was significantly higher in group II (P<0.001). BMI values were found to be low in group I and high in group II (P<0.001). The distribution of complications was different in the BMI ≥ 35.00-39.99 kg/m2 and ≥ 40 kg/m2 groups (P=0.003). Development of complications was found to be higher in patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2. Sternal dehiscence was observed in two patients in group I, while no dehiscence was observed in group II. CONCLUSION: The lower incidence of complications and the absence of non-infectious sternal complications and sternal dehiscence in patients with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 that underwent steel wire combined titanium plate sternal closure strengthened the idea that plate-supported sternal closure can prevent sternal complications in high-risk patients.

Effectiveness of prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy in stopping surgical site wound problems for closed incisions in breast cancer surgery: A meta-analysis.

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy in stopping surgical site wound problems for closed incisions in breast cancer surgery. A systematic literature search up to April 2022 was performed and 2223 women with closed incisions in breast cancer surgery at the baseline of the studies; 964 of them were using the prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy, and 1259 were using standard dressings. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the effect of prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy in stopping surgical site wound problems for closed incisions in breast cancer surgery using the dichotomous method with a random or fixed-effect model. The prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy women had a significantly lower total wound problems (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.43-0.90, P = .01), lower surgical site wound infection (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.96, P = .03), lower wound dehiscence (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.39-0.75, P < .001) and lower wound necrosis (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.27-0.71, P < .001), in women with closed incisions in breast cancer surgery compared with standard dressings. However, prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy did not show any significant difference in wound seroma (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.32-1.65, P = .45), and hematoma (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.33-1.59, P = .001) compared with standard dressings in women with closed incisions in breast cancer surgery. The prophylactic application of negative pressure wound therapy women had a significantly lower total wound problems, surgical site wound infection, wound dehiscence, and wound necrosis and no significant difference in wound seroma, and hematoma compared with standard dressings in women with closed incisions in breast cancer surgery. The analysis of outcomes should be with caution because of the low sample size of 5 out of 12 studies in the meta-analysis and a low number of studies in certain comparisons.

Closed-Incision Negative-Pressure Therapy Reduces Donor-Site Surgical Wound Dehiscence in DIEP Flap Breast Reconstructions: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: In breast reconstruction operations, surgical wound dehiscence is a serious complication that generates a significant burden on patients and health care systems. There are indications that postoperative treatment with closed-incision negative-pressure therapy has been associated with reduced wound dehiscence rates. This randomized clinical trial examines the effect of closed-incision negative-pressure application on abdominal donor-site surgical wound dehiscence in low- and high-risk patients undergoing breast reconstruction with a deep inferior epigastric perforator flap. METHODS: Eighty eligible women, stratified as low- or high-risk patients, were included and were randomized for treatment with either closed-incision negative-pressure or adhesive strips by drawing sealed, opaque envelopes. All surgeons were kept blinded for allocation. Primary outcomes were surgical wound dehiscence and surgical-site infection at the abdominal donor site on follow-up after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were seroma and hematoma formation. Five patients were excluded from the study because of insufficient exposure to the study treatment ( n = 4) or major protocol deviation ( n = 1). RESULTS: A total of 75 women, low-risk ( n = 38) and high-risk ( n = 37), received either closed-incision negative-pressure ( n = 36) or adhesive strips ( n = 39). Patients' demographics did not differ significantly. Donor-site surgical wound dehiscence occurred in 23 patients; the absolute risk reduction was statistically significant (21.6 percent; 95 percent CI, 1.5 to 41.7 percent). No statistically significant differences were found in surgical-site infection or secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: In this randomized clinical trial, postoperative treatment with closed-incision negative-pressure therapy decreased the incidence of surgical wound dehiscence at the abdominal donor site in low- and high-risk deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction patients. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, I.

Evolution of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Orthopaedic Trauma.

SUMMARY: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has evolved from open wound management to now include closed incision management. It has been a major advance in the management of open wounds and closed incisional wounds especially in orthopaedic trauma surgery. Because of the success of NPWT in the late 1990s and early 2000s, surgeons began using NPWT with adjuncts on closed incisions as a way to help prevent surgical wound dehiscence especially in at-risk patients for wound problems. It has been well established that obesity, diabetes, and smoking in addition to other comorbidities increase the risk of wound dehiscence and surgical site infections in orthopaedic patients. It is widely used for open wound management, often associated with open fractures, and in the mitigation of risk of surgical site infections over closed incisions (incisional negative pressure wound therapy). Newer systems allow the use of various topical wound solutions to be instilled in conjunction with NPWT, termed NPWTi-d. This has shown promising results in difficult wounds that may be resistant to standard NPWT. This article reviews the evolution and use of NPWT in orthopaedic trauma.

Prophylactic negative pressure wound dressings reduces wound complications following emergency laparotomies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Wound complications are a common cause of postoperative morbidity and incur significant healthcare costs. Recent studies have shown that negative pressure wound dressings reduce wound complication rates, particularly surgical site infections, after elective laparotomies. The clinical utility of prophylactic negative pressure wound dressings for closed emergency laparotomy incisions remains controversial. This meta-analysis investigated the rates of wound complications after emergency laparotomy when a negative pressure wound dressing was applied. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Registry, Web of Science, and Clinialtrials.gov databases were searched from January 1, 2005, to April 1, 2022. All studies comparing negative pressure wound dressings to standard dressings on closed emergency laparotomy incisions were included. RESULTS: A total of 1,199 (negative pressure wound dressings: 566, standard dressing: 633) patients from 7 (prospective: 4, retrospective: 3) studies were identified. Overall, the surgical site infection (superficial/deep) rate was 13.6% (77/566) vs 25.1% (159/633) in the negative pressure wound dressing versus standard dressing groups, respectively (odds ratio 0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.30-0.62). Wound breakdown (skin/fascial dehiscence) was significantly lower in the negative pressure wound dressing (7.7%) group compared to the standard dressing (16.9%) group (odds ratio 0.36, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.72). The incidence of overall wound complications was significantly lower in the negative pressure wound dressing (15.9%) group compared to the standard dressing (30.4%) group (odds ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.59). No significant differences were found in hospital length-of-stay and readmission rates. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic negative pressure wound dressings for closed emergency laparotomy incisions were associated with a significant reduction in surgical site infections, wound breakdown, and overall wound complications, thus supporting its clinical use.

Prevention and management of vaginal cuff dehiscence: an updated review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Minimally invasive hysterectomy has gained popularity because of its many benefits. However, laparoscopic and robotic assisted hysterectomy have been associated with increased risk of vaginal cuff dehiscence. This review is meant to address risk management and prevention of vaginal cuff dehiscence in patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings in the literature focus on addressing modifiable risk factors in patients and on using good surgical technique to help minimize the risk of vaginal cuff dehiscence. SUMMARY: The focus of this review is to help surgeons identify patient risk factors and address them preoperatively and to review surgical techniques that can minimize the risk of vaginal cuff dehiscence.

Negative pressure wound therapy reduces the incidence of postoperative wound dehiscence and surgical site infections after total knee arthroplasty in patients with obesity.

Obesity is a risk factor for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Wound dehiscence and surgical site infections (SSIs) are the main complications of TKA in patients with obesity. They can profoundly affect patients because they often require readmission, additional surgical interventions, lengthy intravenous antibiotic administration, and delayed rehabilitation. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) exposes the wound site to negative pressure, resulting in the improvement of blood supply, removal of excess fluid, and stimulation of cellular proliferation of granulation tissue. This study aims to assess the incidence of wound dehiscence and SSIs in patients with obesity undergoing TKA after the routine use of NPWT. This sduty enrolled adult patients with obesity who underwent TKA within 8 years. A total of 360 adult patients with obesity (NPWT: 150, non-NPWT: 210) underwent TKA, and the baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. Compared with the non-NPWT group, the NPWT group had a 50% lower incidence of wound dehiscence (3.33% vs 9.52%; P < .05) and a significantly lower incidence of SSIs (11.33% vs 25.24%; P < .05), including prosthetic joint infection (4.0% vs 10.0%; P < .05) and superficial wound infection (7.33% vs 15.24%; P < .05). In addition, the NPWT group had a lower need to return to the operating room for new interventions for any reason (2.67% vs 9.05%; P = .0107) than the non-NPWT group. Conventional incision NPWT can significantly reduce the incidence of wound dehiscence and SSIs in patients with obesity after TKA.

Introduction of Small Stitch Small Bite technique: a retrospective long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: Standardization of abdominal wall closure is suggested to improve quality and reduce the risk for late abdominal wall complications. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a structured introduction of guidelines for abdominal wall closure on the rates of incisional hernia and wound dehiscence. METHODS: All procedures performed via a midline incision in 2010-2011 and 2016-2017 at Capio St Göran's Hospital were identified and assessed for complications and risk factors. RESULTS: Six hundred two procedures were registered in 2010-2011, and 518 in 2016-2017. Four years after the implementation of new guidelines, 93% of procedures were performed using the standardized technique. There was no significant difference in the incidence of incisional hernia or wound dehiscence between the groups. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, BMI > 25, wound dehiscence, and postoperative wound infection were found to be independent risk factors for incisional hernia (all p < 0.05). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, male gender and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were risk factors for wound dehiscence (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present study failed to show a significant improvement in rates of incisional hernia and wound dehiscence after the introduction of Small Stitch Small Bites. When introducing a new standardized technique for closing the abdomen, education and structural implementation of guidelines may have an impact in the long run. The risk factors identified should be taken into consideration when closing a midline incision to identify patients with high risk.