• Mustafa Ozyurtlu, Süleyman Altınkaya, Yahya Baltu, and Güzin Yeşim Ozgenel.
• Department of Plastic Surgery, Bursa Sevket Yilmaz Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey. mustafaozyurtlu@yahoo.com.
• Ulus Travma Acil Cer. 2014 May 1;20(3):194-8.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to demonstrate a new, easy and safe technique, which has not been defined in the literature previously, that enables the gradual primary closure of fasciotomy wounds using barbed sutures.MethodsThe technique was performed on five patients who presented with fasciotomy wounds on both upper and lower extremities, varying in size, observed after compartment syndrome due to different causes. The average width of the defects for which primary closure was planned was 8.8 cm. Following the fasciotomy incision, absorbable barbed sutures were inserted through the dermal tissue around the wound similar to that of a subcuticular closure, but left loose, after which closed dressing was applied. During the clinical follow-up, with the decrease in tissue edema and tightness around the wound, the barbed suture was tightened at bedside every 48-72 hours.ResultsAt the end of this gradual closure, all the fasciotomy defects were primarily closed within an average of 8.6 days. All the patients had complete and uncomplicated primary closure with the exception of one with high-voltage electrical burn injury, who developed necrosis in the distal part of the defect, and was treated by secondary healing.ConclusionThe gradual fasciotomy closure technique with barbed suture seems to be an easy, rapid and effective method.

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