Safe gastric wall closure in dogs using a single-layer full-thickness simple continuous suture pattern.

Objective: To evaluate different suture patterns for gastrostomy closure, with a focus on major complications and survival time. We hypothesized that using a full-thickness single-layer simple continuous pattern would be as safe as the traditional double-layer pattern and would not be associated with more major complications. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the suture patterns used for gastric closure in clinical situations.

Animals: 60 dogs that underwent gastrostomy for foreign body removal, with 20 dogs in each group.

Methods: Dogs treated with gastrotomy from January 1, 2018, to January 1, 2023, were randomly assigned to groups based on the suture pattern used at the gastrotomy site. Gastrotomies were closed with a double-layer inverting continuous pattern (DLI) in the DLI group. Gastrotomies were closed using a double-layer simple continuous pattern (DLS) in the DLS group. Gastrotomies were closed with a full-thickness single-layer simple continuous pattern (SLS) in the SLS group.

Results: All dogs were discharged from hospitalization. The survival rate did not differ among the 3 groups 1 month postoperatively, and major complications were not observed.

Clinical Relevance: Using a full-thickness single-layer pattern is a safe alternative for gastrotomy closure.