TGF-β expression and wound tensile strength after simple interrupted suturing and zip surgical skin closure (IN VIVO study)

Primary healing occurs when both edges of the adjacent incision wound meet. To achieve primary healing, bringing the wound edges closer is generally done by suturing. At present comes one of the methods of skin incision closure without involving sutures called zip surgical skin closure. As an indicator of commonly used wound healing, tensile strength is produced by collagen that involves TGF-β in its production. This study was aimed to observe the expression of TGF-β and tensile strength of the skin incision-post wound using simple interrupted suturing or zip surgical skin closure. An experimental laboratory, this study used Sprague Dawley rats with the predetermined inclusion criteria. Thirty-six rats were applied with 3 cm-dorsal skin incisions after which they were divided into 2 groups, group 1 received simple interrupted suturing and group 2 received zip surgical skin closure. TGF-β examination was performed with BS-0086R polyclonal antibodies and wound tensile strength was observed on day 3, 7 and 14. The independent t-test showed that the tensile strength of the zip surgical skin closure group was higher and was significant as observed on day 7 (p = 0.000) than that of the simple interrupted suturing group. TGF-β expression in the zip surgical skin closure group was found more numerous and significant on day 7 and 14 than that of in the simple interrupted group, (p = 0.025) and (p = 0.032) respectively. Conclusion. Skin incision-post wound healing with zip surgical skin closure is better and shows higher tensile strength and more numerous TGF-β expressions than simple interrupted suturing.