Patients in the small bites group had fascial closures sutured with more stitches than those in the large bites group ( mean number of stitches @ -LSB- SD @ -RSB- vs @ -LSB- @ -RSB- ; p < @ ) , a higher ratio of suture length to wound length ( @ -LSB- @ -RSB- vs @ -LSB- @ -RSB- ; p < @ ) and a longer closure time ( @ -LSB- @ -RSB- vs @ -LSB- @ -RSB- min ; p < @ ) .