Modified Smead–Jones suture for closure of emergency midline laparotomy incision: systematic review and meta-analysis
Open Access
- 29 April 2025
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Nature in Updates in Surgery
- Vol. 77 (8) , 2571-2577
Abstract
Midline laparotomy incision is mostly used in emergent surgery, especially in hemodynamic instability patients. We aim to compare the Modified Smead–Jones (MSJ) and Smead–Jones (SJ) sutures against conventional continuous suture in midline laparotomy closure. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovoid were searched. We utilized Revman 5.4.1 for statistical analysis. Five studies involving 403 patients were included. Compared to continuous sutures, MSJ showed a significant reduction in wound dehiscence, wound infection, and hospital stay (RR = 0.29, 95% CI [0.14–0.59], p = 0.0006), (RR = 0.41, 95% CI [0.26–0.65], p = 0.0002), and (MD = – 4.50, 95% CI [– 5.43 to – 3.57], p = 0.00001). Conversely, the SJ subgroup showed no statistically significant difference in wound dehiscence, wound infection, and hospital stay. Also, both techniques, MSJ and SJ, showed no significant difference in incisional hernia risk (RR = 0.17, 95% CI [0.02–1.33], p = 0.09) and (RR = 5.16, 95% CI [0. 26–103.27], p = 0.28), respectively. MSJ follows the same far-near-near-far pattern as SJ but is applied continuously rather than interrupted. The MSJ suture technique might be promising in reducing wound dehiscence, infection, and hospital stay compared to conventional continuous closure. However, future large-scale RCTs with standardized methodologies and extended follow-up are essential to determine whether MSJ should be established as the preferred technique for midline laparotomy closure.Keywords
Funding Information
- Cairo University
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- ECLAPTE: Effective Closure of LAParoTomy in Emergency—2023 World Society of Emergency Surgery guidelines for the closure of laparotomy in emergency settingsWorld Journal of Emergency Surgery, 2023
- Abdominal wound dehiscence and incisional hernia prevention in midline laparotomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysisLangenbeck's Archives of Surgery, 2023
- Comparison between conventional and modified Smead Jones method for abdominal mass closure in emergency midline laparotomyInternational Journal of Health Sciences (Egypt), 2023
- The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviewsBMJ, 2021
- Prospective comparative study of modified Smead Jones versus conventional continuous method of fascial closure in emergency midline laparotomyInternational Surgery Journal, 2020
- Comparative study of efficacy of modified Smead-Jones technique versus conventional closure of midline laparotomy woundInternational Journal of Surgery Science, 2020
- RoB 2: a revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trialsBMJ, 2019
- Comparison of conventional closure versus “re-modified Smead Jones” technique of single layer mass closure with Polypropylene (prolene) loop suture after midline laparotomy in emergency casesInternational Surgery Journal, 2017
- Critical evaluation of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for the assessment of the quality of nonrandomized studies in meta-analysesEuropean Journal of Epidemiology, 2010
- Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical testBMJ, 1997