Vascular reconstruction at the groin: oblique or vertical incisions?
Chester, J.F.; Butler, C.M.; Taylor, R.S.
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 74(2): 112-114
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-8843 PMID: 1567128 Document Number: 403629
Incisions for vascular access at the groin are usually vertical. Because such incisions cross the moist skin-crease area and disrupt lymphatics, they may be more prone to infection than oblique incisions placed above and parallel to the groin crease. To determine whether this was the case, 149 patients undergoing vascular reconstruction through a groin incision over a period of 30 months were studied. Those with previous groin incisions were excluded, and where an incision was necessary in both groins, each wound was studied separately. Over a 10-day postoperative period 5 of 85 vertical wounds developed infection with purulent discharge, whereas no oblique wounds (n = 82) became infected (P = 0.032). Oblique incisions for vascular access at the groin are associated with a decreased incidence of wound infection compared with conventional vertical incisions.