Suture Length to Wound Length Ratio (SL:WL Ratio)

Tissue approximation is the alignment of wound edges to promote proper healing.

Suture material is the thread or filament used to close surgical wounds.

A monofilament suture is made from a single smooth strand of material.

Burst abdomen is a severe complication involving complete fascial disruption after abdominal surgery.

SL:WL 1:4 refers to using four times as much suture material as the length of the wound during closure.

A surgical suturing device is a tool designed to assist surgeons in placing sutures accurately and consistently.

An incisional hernia occurs when abdominal contents protrude through a weakness in a previous surgical incision.

Wound dehiscence is the partial or complete separation of a surgical wound after closure.

Continuous suturing is a technique where a single suture strand is used to close a wound without interruption.

A surgical site infection is an infection occurring at or near a surgical incision after an operation.

Interrupted sutures consist of individual stitches tied separately along the wound.

The large-bites technique uses wider tissue bites placed farther from the wound edge during fascial closure.

Abdominal wall closure refers to the surgical process of closing the layers of the abdominal wall after an incision, typically following laparotomy.

Fascial closure is the suturing of the abdominal fascia, the load-bearing layer of the abdominal wall, following surgical incision.

A midline laparotomy is a surgical incision made along the linea alba to access the abdominal cavity.

Fascia is a connective tissue layer that surrounds and supports muscles and organs, providing structural strength to the abdominal wall.

The small-bites technique is a suturing method using small tissue bites placed close to the wound edge during fascial closure.

The linea alba is a fibrous structure running along the midline of the abdomen where the abdominal muscles meet.