Efficacy of skin closure with subcuticular sutures for preventing wound infection after resection of colorectal cancer: a propensity score–matched analysis

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of skin closure with subcuticular sutures for the prevention of wound infection after colorectal cancer resection. Methods Medical records of 1008 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent resection between 2006 and 2013 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on skin closure method: the subcuticular suture group ( n = 323) and the staple group ( n = 685). The incidence of wound infection was compared with and without propensity score matching, and multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for wound infection. Results The incidence of wound infection was 3.1 % (10/323) in the subcuticular suture group and 10.4 % (71/685) in the staple group. After propensity score matching, the incidence of wound infection was significantly lower in the subcuticular suture group (4.6 %, 9/197) than in the staple group (12.2 %, 24/197) ( p = 0.004). In the propensity score–matched cohort, multivariate analysis identified advanced age (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.12), higher preoperative body mass index (OR, 1.19; 95 % CI, 1.07–1.33), lower preoperative serum albumin (OR, 0.45; 95 % CI, 0.22–0.91), open surgery (OR, 3.28; 95 % CI, 1.38–8.49), and skin closure with staples (OR, 3.21; 95 % CI, 1.43–7.81) as independent risk factors for wound infection. Conclusions Our results suggest that subcuticular suturing could be beneficial after colorectal cancer surgery.