Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07142395

Comparing Delayed vs Primary Wound Closure After Emergency Laparotomy: Impact on Infection, Healing, and Hospital Stay

The purpose of this study is to find out which type of wound closure after emergency abdominal surgery leads to fewer wound infections and better recovery: closing the wound immediately after surgery (called primary closure) or waiting a few days before closing the skin (called delayed primary closure).

Wound infection is a common problem after emergency abdominal surgery (also called laparotomy). Some surgeons close the skin right away, while others wait a few days to reduce the risk of infection.

This study will help find out which method is better.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

1. . Does delayed primary closure lower the rate of wound infection compared to primary closure? 2. . Does the wound open up (wound dehiscence) less often with delayed closure? 3. . Does delayed closure affect the length of hospital stay?

In this clinical trial:

* Adult patients needing emergency abdominal surgery will be included. * Half the patients will have their wounds closed immediately (primary closure), and half will have delayed closure after 3-5 days of daily dressing. * All surgeries will be done by experienced surgeons using the same technique. * Patients will be followed for 4 weeks after surgery to monitor wound infection, wound opening, and length of hospital stay.

The results will help doctors choose the safest and most effective way to close surgical wounds after emergency abdominal surgery.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Laparotomy Closure After Abdominal Surgery Infections Wound Infection

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College

Multan, Punjab Province, 60000, Pakistan

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients 18 - 60 years of age
  • Either male or female gender and
  • Planned to undergo emergency laparotomy

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients undergoing second laparotomy
  • Re- laparotomy
  • On steroid therapy and
  • Patients who die within 28-days of surgery

Treatment and study plan

Immediate skin closure

Procedure

After laparotomy wounds will be closed primarily using no. 1 vicryl suture

Delayed Primary Closure

Procedure

Deeper layers of wound will be closed after surgery and loose mattress sutures will be applied to skin with prolene. After three to five days of daily dressing with bactericidal solution, the skin will be closed

Primary outcomes

  1. Wound Infection

    Time frame: From date of surgery to Four weeks postoperatively

    Surgical Site infection - Presence any features of erythema, pain, pus discharge on examination of surgical wound and new onset fever (> 98.6 F)

Other outcomes

  1. Hospital Stay

    Time frame: From date of surgery until date of hospital discharge, up to 28 days

    Duration of stay (days) in hospital after laparotomy

  2. Wound dehiscence

    Time frame: From date of laparotomy to Four weeks post-operatively

    A partial or total separation of previously approximated wound edges

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Bkahtawar Amin Medical and Dental College Multan

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparison of Primary Skin Closure Versus Delayed Primary Skin Closure in Patients Undergoing Emergency Laparotomies

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 26, 2025
Registry last updated
Sep 5, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.