The Origin and Development of Interrupted Subcuticular Suture: An Important Technique for Achieving Optimum Wound Closure

BACKGROUND Subcuticular suture is an important technique for achieving optimum wound closure, and there has been no comprehensive summary of subcuticular sutures to date. OBJECTIVE To summarize the origin and development of interrupted subcuticular suture to help clinicians improve their wound closure skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS A comprehensive review of subcuticular suture techniques was conducted in PubMed to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of various methods and clinical indications. RESULTS Buried suture is the oldest subcuticular suture technique, followed by buried vertical mattress suture, intracutaneous butterfly suture, modified/variant buried vertical mattress suture, intradermal buried vertical mattress suture, buried horizontal mattress suture, wedge-section and modified buried vertical mattress suture, set-back suture, and modified buried horizontal mattress suture, which have gradually been applied in clinical practice. Buried vertical mattress suture is currently the most widely used subcuticular suture technique. CONCLUSION Patients can certainly benefit from the appropriate application of subcuticular suture. There is also no single ideal method for achieving optimal results in all cases. Fully understanding the history of subcuticular suture can help doctors improve their wound closure technique.