Efficacy of Triclosan-Coated Barbed Sutures for Fascial Closure in Colorectal Surgery

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infections (SSIs) pose a significant burden in colorectal surgery. This study evaluated the advantages of triclosan-coated barbed sutures over conventional interrupted sutures for fascial closure. METHODS: We retrospectively compared patients undergoing colorectal surgery with fascial closure using either triclosan-coated barbed sutures (STF group) or conventional interrupted sutures (IS group). The primary outcome was the incidence of SSIs. Secondary outcomes included fascial closure time, postoperative pain, complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, length of hospital stay, and incisional hernia rates. RESULTS: Among the 199 patients, no significant difference in total SSI rates was observed between the groups (STF: 7.1% versus IS: 5.0%, P = 0.564), despite baseline differences between the groups. The STF group demonstrated significantly shorter fascial closure time (median: 6.8 min in STF versus 8.6 min in IS, P = 0.002) and was associated with a significantly lower postoperative pain score on postoperative day 3 (adjusted P = 0.013). The incisional hernia rate was similar between the groups (STF: 1.0% versus IS: 4.0%, P = 0.372). CONCLUSIONS: Triclosan-coated barbed sutures provide safety comparable to that of conventional IS group in colorectal surgery, with shorter fascial closure time and a lower pain score on postoperative day 3. These findings suggest potential benefits for patient comfort and early postoperative recovery, although they should be cautiously interpreted given the baseline imbalances between the groups.