Background: Episiotomy is a surgical increase of the perineum made to increase the vulval outlet during childbirth, 85% of women who have a spontaneous vaginal birth will have some form of perineal trauma and up to 69% will need to have sutures. The aim of this study is to establish if there was clear scientific evidence that the technique used for perineal skin repair, following childbirth, had influenced postoperative pain and wound healing occurring in perineal area and to compare after suturing techniques with respect of time taken to complete skin closure (in minutes).
Methods: This is a prospective RCT of 150 women who gave birth at Women health hospital aged 21-35 years old and with normal vaginal delivery, at term (37 weeks – 40 weeks), live baby and vertex presentation. The women (Primigravida or multipara) ae assigned equally to 3 groups: simple continuous group, subcuticular group and interrupted skin suturing group. All patients were subjected to perineal pain intensity assessment, perineal wound healing assessment and postoperative scar assessment.
Results: NPRS after 10 days and SBSES were significantly lower in simple continuous group and subcuticular group than interrupted skin sutures group (P value<0.05). Suturing time significantly lower in simple continuous group was than subcuticular group and interrupted skin sutures group and in subcuticular group than interrupted skin sutures group (P value<0.05). There was an insignificant difference in NPRS and SBSES between simple continuous group and subcuticular group, in NPRS after 1month and in REEDA after 10 days and 1 month among the studied groups.
Conclusions: Suturing time significantly lower in simple continuous group was than subcuticular group and interrupted skin sutures group and in subcuticular group than interrupted skin sutures group.
Keywords: Episiotomy; 2nd-Degree perineal tears; Simple continuous suturing; Subcuticular suturing; Interrupted skin suturing