Use of Barbed Sutures in Bariatric Surgery. Review of the Literature.

Performing intracorporeal anastomoses and sutures is possibly the technique that requires the greater skill in laparoscopy. The emergence of new barbed sutures seems to facilitate the practice, with bariatric surgery (mainly in mixed and malabsorptive techniques) being one of the specialties that can most benefit from them. This review aims to evaluate barbed sutures' use and safety in bariatric surgery. Barbed sutures might facilitate the practice by improving some aspects of surgery such as reproducibility and operative time, although further research is needed.