Robotic Hernia Repair using a Barbed Suture

Abstract

Barbed sutures became available in the mid-1960's, when a popular bidirectional barbed suture was primarily used by plastic surgeons for skin closure. As laparoscopic surgery became more commonplace, so did the need for intracorporeal sewing, but the challenges of tying sutures under tension became apparent. While surgical devices such as the Endostich™ (Covidien, Dublin, Ireland) aided in overcoming the learning curve for laparoscopic sewing, over time, the introduction of a unidirectional barbed suture helped minimally invasive surgeons overcome the challenges of sewing laparoscopically. It is particularly difficult to secure knots under tension using commonly available monofilament and multifilament sutures. Barbed sutures allow for the distribution of tension along the suture closure without the need for securing knots. However, with the introduction of the daVinci™ robot by Intuitive (Sunnyvale, CA) in 2001, sewing has become easier and more popular with the availability of a 3-dimensional, high-definition view and wristed instruments. As robotic general surgery has become increasingly accepted, it is fitting that the use of a barbed suture in hernia surgery has become critical for primary fascia closure of the hernia defect and various layer closures.