A new type of absorbable barbed suture for use in laparoscopic myomectomy

Objective: To compare effectiveness, feasibility, and suturing time required between an absorbable barbed wire (V-Loc) uterine suture and a classic continuous suture with intracorporeal knots among women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy. Methods: From January 2010 to February 2011, women with single symptomatic intramural myoma were prospectively enrolled in a single-center study at a university hospital in Rome, Italy. A control group with characteristics meeting the criteria for study inclusion was retrospectively identified from the hospital databases. In the prospective group uterine wall defects were closed with V-Loc suture, whereas in the control group they were closed by classical continuous suture with intracorporeal knots. Data were analyzed via Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher exact test. Results: The mean operative time was shorter in the V-Loc (51 ± 18.1 min) than in the control (58 ± 17.8 min) group. Suturing time was significantly lower in the V-Loc than in the control (9.9 ± 4.3 versus 15.8 ± 4.7 min; P = 0.0004) group. Both intraoperative bleeding and drop in hemoglobin were significantly lower in the V-Loc group (P = 0.0076 and P = 0.0176, respectively). Conclusion: Use of a barbed suture may aid surgeons during laparoscopic suturing by reducing operative time, suturing time, and blood loss. © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.