Wound dehiscence

Risk factors include age, collagen disorder such as Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, diabetes, obesity, poor knotting or grabbing of stitches, and trauma to the wound after surgery.

Coated suture, such as Vicryl, generally breaks down at a rate predicted to correspond with tissue healing, but is hastened in the presence of bacteria.

In the absence of other known metabolic factors which inhibit healing and may have contributed to suture dehiscence, subacute infection should be suspected, and the protocol for obtaining wound cultures followed.

[5] Risk factors for dehiscence can include any of the above, as well as obesity, smoking, previous scarring, surgical error, cancer, chronic use of corticosteroids and increased abdominal pressure.

[4] Once wound dehiscence occurs, it can be treated by allowing granulation, re-cutting and suturing the edges, and providing prophylactic antibiotics.