Krukowski 1987.
| Methods |
RCT Methods to control for contributory patient factors: stratified by age (>/< 60 years), sex, emergent versus elective and degree of contamination |
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| Participants |
Age: Group 1: 48.6% < 60 years Group 2: 49.1% < 60 years Gender: Group 1: 48.4% female Group 2: 46.2% female Type of incision: vertical midline incision for all participants Type of surgery: both emergent and elective Contamination classification of included participants: Group 1: clean 24.6%, clean‐contaminated 51.8%, contaminated 7.2%, dirty 16.3% Group 2: clean 26.6%, clean‐contaminated 49.6%, contaminated 8.0%, dirty 15.7% Pre‐operative antibiotic use: not described Prognostic patient factors: not described Inclusion criteria: patients undergoing laparotomy through a vertical midline incision Exclusion criteria: patients undergoing repair of an incisional hernia |
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| Interventions |
Comparisons reported: Group 1: Suture: PDS (monofilament, slowly absorbable) Suturing technique: continuous Closure method: mass Group 2: Suture: polypropylene (monofilament, non‐absorbable) Suturing technique: continuous Closure method: mass Surgeon characteristics: all cases performed by 2 consultants |
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| Outcomes |
Hernia: palpable gap without herniation or a diffuse bulge or obvious herniation Follow‐up duration: 12 months Wound infection: discharge of pus from the wound or growth of a pathogenic organism from serous or sanguineous discharge Dehiscence: evisceration Sinus or fistula: not defined |
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| Notes | — | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Computer‐generated randomisation tables |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Not described |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Intention‐to‐treat, all participants accounted for |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | Hernia (at least 1 year); dehiscence and wound infection outcomes all reported |
| Other bias | Low risk | The study appears to be free of other sources of bias |