WOUND COMPLICATIONS OF CESAREAN DELIVERIES WITH STAPLES REMOVAL AT DAY SIX OR SEVEN

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to determine wound complications of cesarean deliveries with staples removal at day six or seven post-delivery with comparison to past literature. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review study. The subjects are the last 150 cesareans performed at our center. The principal outcome was wound complication and separation. General averages were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 150 patients were included in the study. Wound separation occurred in 2% of patients while the prescription of antibiotics for wound infection occurred in approximately 2% of patients. Only 1.3% of patients required readmission and 12% of patients visited the clinic for any wound complaint. A comparison to literature review shows significant improvement of wound healing and outcome by removing the staple on day six or seven compared to placement of Monocryl suture or removal of staples on day three post-delivery. Conclusions: Allowing six to seven postoperative days for proper wound healing may significantly decrease the wound complication rate using stainless steel staples for cesarean delivery closure, as compared to day three removal or placement of Monocryl sutures. A prospective cohort study in the future would be necessary to explore this important topic.