A Comparison of Bidirectional Stratafix Continuous Suture Versus Conventional Interrupted Suture in Breast Mastectomy.

Background: This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between Stratafix barbed sutures and conventional sutures in patients undergoing total mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients who underwent total mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection at our hospital. Results: A total of 29 patients were included. No significant differences were observed in clinicopathological features between the two groups. However, the percentage of suturing time within the total operative time was significantly lower in the Stratafix group compared to conventional group (10% vs. 8%). In addition, the suturing time per centimeter was also significantly shorter with Stratafix group (P < 0.001). No wound-related complications were observed in either group during at least 3 months of follow-up. Conclusions: The use of barbed sutures for wound closure in mastectomy procedures effectively reduces suturing time without increasing the incidence of wound complications. Bidirectional Stratafix barbed sutures offer an improved and efficient alternative to conventional sutures for breast surgeons.