Skin incisions and wound closure

The siting of an incision and the choice of wound closure may have profound effects upon the success of an operation and the patients lasting perception of their surgeon. This article discusses site and method of skin incision, access to the abdominal cavity, wound healing, choice of sutures and needles, suture techniques, fascial and skin closure techniques and difficult wound closure. With this information the reader should be able to make a tailored decision about incision and closure technique to achieve the best outcome for the patient.