Subcutaneous tissue closure and postoperative wound complications in cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The benefit of subcutaneous tissue closure during cesarean delivery (CD) has been well established in pregnant individuals with a subcutaneous tissue thickness greater than 2 cm. However, its routine application in all pregnant individuals remains a contentious topic. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate and quantify the effect of subcutaneous tissue closure compared to nonclosure on postoperative wound complications in all patients undergoing CD.

DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov from their inception to October 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Eligible studies included RCTs comparing subcutaneous tissue closure vs nonclosure in patients undergoing CD. Studies were excluded if they focused solely on selected subpopulations, such as pregnant individuals with subcutaneous fat >2 cm or those classified as obese. Primary outcomes were seroma formation, hematoma, surgical site infection (SSI), and wound dehiscence. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain and cosmetic results.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS

METHODS

Random-effects models were used to calculate relative risks (RR) for each outcome. Heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the I² statistic.

RESULTS

Eight trials comprising 1854 participants (918 closure, 936 nonclosure) met inclusion criteria. There were no significant differences between groups for SSI (RR 0.95, 95% CI: [0.69-1.31]), dehiscence (RR 0.64, 95% CI: [0.21-1.98]), seroma (RR 0.87, 95% CI: [0.05-14.81]), hematoma (RR 0.54, 95% CI: [0.02-15.90]), or composite wound outcomes (RR 1.05, 95% CI: [0.80-1.38]). Study heterogeneity was low (I²<45%).

CONCLUSIONS

Subcutaneous tissue closure during CD does not significantly reduce the risk of wound complications when applied universally. These findings do not support its routine implementation for all patients with subcutaneous thickness less than 2 cm. Further research should focus on refining patient selection criteria and evaluating other potential benefits, including long-term cosmetic outcomes. El resumen está disponible en Español al final del artículo.