Table 2

Characteristics of the two cohorts

CharacteristicsLarge bites
n=128 (50.2%)
Small bites
n=127 (49.8%)
P value
Age (years), median (IQR)59.7 (51–70.5)61 (52–68)0.71
BMI (kg/m2), median, (IQR)30.1 (25.0–35.1)28.3 (24.7–35.6)0.33
Race, N (%)0.64
 White105 (82.0)107 (84.3)
 Non-white23 (18.0)20 (15.7)
Smoking history, N (%)52 (40.6)46 (36.2)0.47
Chemotherapy, N (%)81 (63.3)77 (60.6)0.66
Pre-operative albumin (g/dL), median (IQR)4.2 (4.0–4.5)4.3 (4.0–4.5)0.60
ASA, N (%)0.73
 Class 1–246 (35.9)43 (33.9)
 Class 3–482 (64.1)84 (66.1)
EBL (mL), median (IQR)150 (100–387.5)200 (100–400)0.10
Surgery duration (min), median (IQR)188 (148.5–299)175 (136–225)0.26
Hernia, N (%) 22 (17.2) 10 (7.9) 0.025
Post-operative infection, N (%)8 (6.3)3 (2.4)0.13
  • Large bites: mass closure or modified running Smead-Jones closure.

  • Small bites: fascial bites taken 5–8 mm laterally with no more than 5 mm travel.

  • ASA, American Society of Anesthesia; BMI, body mass index; EBL, estimated blood loss.