Deep and Superficial Closure

All operative interventions in plastic surgery have one thing in common: closure of an incision or wound at the conclusion of the procedure. For many years, the only option to accomplish this task was the use of sutures. Today's surgeon, however, has many more options available, ranging from smooth to barbed suture, external to internal staples, internal to external adhesive glues, and incisional negative-pressure wound therapy. These devices are designed with the goal of making wound closure more rapid and secure, and decreasing postoperative sequelae. This paper reviews methods available to perform incisional closure and the published clinical data regarding their use.