Removal of surgical sutures. Removal of sutures on the legs and abdomen

26.09.2019

The operations performed involve suturing the skin. Before removing them, you must follow the recommendations that will be aimed at preventing infection or other complications. The exclusion of these factors will help solve the problem of whether it is painful to remove stitches after surgery.

Patients after the intervention are interested in the question on what day after the operation the sutures are removed. Compliance with the terms is an important point of the postoperative period. Premature removal of sutures after surgery threatens with divergence and possible infection, with late procedures, the suture material grows into the skin. To determine how long the stitches are removed after the operation, it is necessary to clarify the nature of the operation performed. Among them:

  • The amputation performed involves the removal of sutures after 2 weeks.
  • Operations in the head area require its removal after a week, as well as superficial procedures on the anterior abdominal wall or a caesarean section.
  • Up to 14 days, the procedure is carried out after deep and traumatic operations in the abdominal cavity or chest, as well as natural childbirth.

These terms are conditional, as the attending physician decides on the withdrawal on an individual basis. Reduction is possible with good recovery, absence of suppuration and rapid rehabilitation. The lengthening of the period is possible with the development of inflammation, a difficult recovery period, the presence of complications, etc. It should be remembered that in elderly patients, the time at which suture removal occurs may be lengthened. In some cases, in the presence of infiltrates or suppuration, the doctor may decide to remove them immediately and heal the skin by secondary intention.

Conditions to consider when removing sutures


Among the main factors on the basis of which the doctor determines how many days to remove stitches after surgery, there are:

  • Areas of the body. Due to the fact that different parts of the body have different blood supply, regeneration processes occur at different times.
  • The most active blood supply is rich in areas on the face or neck.
  • The presence of infectious factors. In some cases, in the presence of infection, it is required to remove foreign objects from the wound within a short time.
  • The weight of the patient. The presence of a large amount of adipose tissue causes a slowdown in the healing process due to slow blood supply to these areas.
  • Age. In older patients, the healing process is slower.
  • The state of the immune system. Insufficiency of immune forces causes the prerequisites for a longer healing of tissues.

Is the procedure painful?

Many people wonder if it hurts to remove stitches after surgery.
The removal of sutures is a procedure that does not cause pain. Normally, only minor discomfort may occur, which does not require the use of painkillers.
It is painful to remove sutures after surgery in cases where there are signs of ingrowth of the material or inflammation has been tolerated. In order to minimize it, you can use local anesthetics in the form of a spray.

Preparation for suture removal

Before removing postoperative sutures at home, it is necessary to follow several basic measures that will be aimed at preventing infection, as well as the development of complications.
Among the preparatory activities are:

  • Before removing the stitches after the operation, it is required to select the necessary tools, including sharpened scissors with sharp ends, as well as tweezers.
  • Before the procedure, sterilize the instrument no earlier than 30 minutes. It will destroy all infectious agents that have accumulated on objects. To do this, at home, it is enough to boil the tool in clean water for at least 15 minutes. After boiling, cool the products. It is necessary to remove the stitches after the operation only with clean instruments.
  • Before removing the stitches after the operation, it is necessary to wipe the instrument with an alcohol solution.
  • Prepare consumables that may be required for subsequent wound care. To do this, you need to use bandages and an antibacterial-based ointment.
  • The wound area is cleaned with soapy water and dried with a clean towel, followed by rubbing with an alcohol solution.

How to remove postoperative sutures

The need to remove sutures at home arises when it is impossible to visit a medical institution due to a serious condition, difficulties in movement and other factors. In advance, how to perform the procedure yourself, you need to ask the doctor how the sutures are removed after the operation.

The patient or his relatives must remember how to remove the stitches after the operation on their own, so that there are no difficulties during the procedure.

  • The procedure is performed in a comfortable position, when the patient or his assistant clearly sees the wound.
  • The knot is first lifted with tweezers.
  • When stitches are removed after surgery, an incision is made with scissors directly at the surface of the skin.
  • Next, the thread is pulled out at one of the ends, it is impossible to make quick movements, as well as damage to adjacent tissues.
  • All nodes are removed sequentially.

Relatives who are not afraid of performing such procedures can also remove stitches after surgery at home.

Withdrawal rules

When removing stitches at home, you must follow a few basic rules that will prevent the development of complications:
When removing the thread, the knot should not be allowed to pass through the surface of the skin, as this can cause not only bleeding, but also pain.
After removing all the threads, it is necessary to inspect the wound area for the presence of material residues in it, which subsequently cause inflammation.
After the end of all manipulations, the scar area is treated with a brilliant green solution and a bandage is applied.
It is not recommended to perform procedures with a wound on your own. Only after consulting with a specialist, he will decide how long the sutures are removed after the operation. It is also important to follow all the basic recommendations. This will determine if it hurts or not to remove stitches after surgery.

Surgical sutures are the most common, today, method of connecting biological tissues: the walls of organs or the edges of a wound of various localization, which is used to stop bleeding or during surgery. For suturing, a variety of medical suture material is used: non-absorbable or absorbable threads of synthetic or biological origin, as well as metal wire.

The sutures are divided depending on the timing of the imposition: primary, delayed primary, provisional, early secondary and late secondary suture, as well as removable and immersed sutures.

A removable suture is a type of surgical suture when the suture material is removed from the tissues after the wound heals, and when a submerged suture is performed, the suture material remains in the tissues, dissolves and encapsulates in the lumen of a hollow organ.

Primary suture - is applied to the surgical wound immediately after the end of the surgical intervention or to an accidental wound immediately after its surgical treatment. A delayed primary suture is applied within 24 hours to 7 days, before the development of granulations in an accidental wound, and after its growth in the wound, an early secondary suture is applied after 8-15 days. A provisional suture is a type of delayed primary suture where sutures are applied during surgery and tied two or three days after surgery. A late secondary suture is applied within 15 to 30 days or more with the development of scar tissue in the wound.

It is important to remember that removable sutures must not only be applied correctly, but also removed in time, as inflammation may begin due to the fact that the suture fixing material is foreign to the body, and if synthetic threads grow into biological tissues, it will subsequently be very difficult to remove them . It should also be noted that it is not recommended to remove suture material at home - there is a very high risk of infection and the development of inflammation or divergence of the edges of the wound, with the early removal of surgical sutures. It is necessary to avoid a situation in which the seam fester. The timing of suture removal depends on various factors: the regenerative characteristics of the body, the anatomical region of the wound and its trophism, the age and condition of the patient, the nature of the surgical intervention and the presence of local complications of the wound. On average, the removal of removable sutures from the skin or mucous membranes averages from six to fourteen days. If you decide at your own risk to remove these sutures, then you need to understand how to remove the sutures correctly.

But there are situations when, for some reason, it is impossible to go to a medical institution to remove the stitches, and if you are sure that the wound has completely healed, they can be completely removed on your own. But this is possible only if the conditions of sterility and safety are fully observed (you should not remove the stitches in the face area or in an inconvenient location yourself). To do this, you need to carefully remove the bandage or patch applied to the suture area and be sure to treat them with medical alcohol or iodine. To directly remove the stitches, you must take tweezers, scissors and a sterile napkin (the instruments must also be treated with disinfectants and sterile). With the help of tweezers, one of the ends of the thread is pulled up, and then it is carefully cut near the skin itself and pulled out with tweezers. Care must be taken to ensure that the thread located on the outside does not get inside, otherwise it may infect the wound. Do not forget to be aware of how to handle stitches after surgery. After removing all the sutures, it is necessary to treat the scar with an antiseptic and apply a sterile bandage.

Not everyone knows how the stitches are removed after the operation, but this information is necessary, because it can insure against many unpleasant and unforeseen situations. Removal of sutures should be carried out by a professional after the required time has elapsed.

Sometimes the sutures are not removed, because after surgery special surgical threads are used, which dissolve and leave no traces.

However, in most cases, stitches need to be removed. When and how this should be done, the attending physician should tell.

Postoperative sutures - what is it?

During any tissue damage occurs. During treatment, it is not always possible to do without a seam, so the edges of the wound are pulled together and connected with staples or threads.

Recently, special surgical threads are increasingly used, which do not require subsequent removal - catgut. As the wound heals, such threads simply dissolve.

If ordinary threads are used after the operation, then after a certain period of time the seam must be removed. They are usually made with silk or nylon threads.

There are several types of surgical wound closure:

  • primary - getting better immediately after injury or surgery;
  • secondary - superimposed on a granulating wound;
  • provisional - are applied 4-5 days after the operation.

If a suture is applied from a non-absorbable material to a deep wound, then in the absence of an inflammatory process, it remains in the tissues forever.

Postoperative sutures also differ in their appearance - nodal, purse-string, wrapping. The type of suture is selected based on the wound or type of operation.

When should I shoot (2 indicators)?

After suturing, a certain period of time must pass, usually at least a week.

If they are applied on the face, neck, then they can be removed earlier, provided there is no inflammation and with good wound healing. When and how stitches are removed after surgery, photos can be viewed on special resources.

The time of suture removal should be evaluated only by a doctor and depends not only on the type of operation, but also on the general condition of the patient.

The following facts can speak about wound healing:

  • crust formation - granulation at the site of the wound;
  • alignment of the seam in color with the main skin.

If there are seals in the wound, then this should alert. This may indicate the beginning of the inflammatory process and improper healing.

All suspicions should be reported to the doctor immediately. Timely intervention can prevent the development of pathologies.

How and why do the seams diverge?

Sometimes there are situations when the seams diverge. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor and sew up the wound again if it has not yet healed.

They can also disperse on the surface of the skin and inside the wound. If this happens, the patient feels pain and discomfort, bulges or pits may appear.

With a discrepancy, an increase in body temperature can also be observed, the condition gradually worsens. If the operation was performed on the abdomen, then in this case, nausea and vomiting may occur.

Feeling unwell, vomiting and nausea should alert.

You can not leave this situation to chance, you must urgently consult a doctor! In no case should you try to fix the seam yourself, you should not touch it at all, treat it with a septic tank and go to the hospital.

Removal of sutures (on legs and abdomen)

After abdominal surgery, stitches may be placed in the abdomen. They are usually removed 7-10 days after the operation.

The doctor should remove it under sterile conditions, as there are risks of infection, inflammation may begin.

Sterile instruments such as anatomical tweezers and a cutting instrument are used to remove the sutures. Previously, the wound is treated with septic tanks. If there are several stitches, then they should be removed one by one.

How stitches are removed after abdominal surgery, you can watch the video here:

If you are interested in how stitches are removed after appendicitis surgery, then the removal technique is also, for this you can watch other videos on the network. By the way, if there was a cosmetic suture, then polypropylene is used, which is removed on the 10th day, or vicryl / monocryl, which does not require removal, since it is absorbed.

How the stitches are removed after surgery from the leg, the video can be viewed below. The methodology is not much different.

It is imperative to remove the sutures, especially if the suture hurts or a seal has appeared in this place. With all the alarming symptoms, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

It is possible that inflammation has begun, in which case the trip to the doctor should not be delayed - special treatment of the wound and early removal of the suture material will be required.

How is it taken on the face?

Facial surgery is one of the most difficult, especially in cases where the application of surgical material is required. You always want to keep a beautiful appearance, and scars are far from the best decoration.

If the wound is closed correctly and in a timely manner, then there are practically no scars left, so the main thing in this matter is to trust a good specialist.

How are stitches removed after? In fact, the removal technology is the same everywhere, if they are performed superficially. If they are made on the cornea, and they are made after transplantation, then they are removed no earlier than after 8 months.

The removal procedure is essentially painless, but rather unpleasant. In some cases, local anesthesia may be used if the patient feels severe discomfort. In all other cases, anesthesia is not used.

How are sutures removed after laparoscopy?

Today, laparoscopic surgeries are often used. This intervention has its advantages.

Laparoscopy involves smaller incisions through which the doctor penetrates deep into the body with special devices, so the skin is not severely injured. This leads to the fact that the recovery period is shorter than with conventional surgery.

After the work done, the doctor sews up small incisions. The question arises, how are sutures removed after laparoscopy?

To begin with, it is worth noting that you need to take care of acquired wounds, this will speed up recovery. To do this, doctors advise treating them with antiseptic solutions, applying bandages, which systematically needs to be replaced. The surgeon will tell you about all the rules of care.

The sutures themselves can be made of absorbable threads. They will disappear on their own in 6-7 days.

If threads were used that do not resolve on their own, then you need to wait until the wound heals. Doctors cannot determine the exact timing of the removal of sutures. This issue is resolved on an individual basis.

Often the sutures are removed 6-14 days after laparoscopy. The person himself, basically, is not in the hospital all this time, since the discharge occurs much earlier.

With the timely removal of sutures, their ingrowth does not occur. In addition, recovery should be carried out without complications, discomfort. If you experience pain, see a doctor!

Removal of stitches in animals

Pets are often severely injured as well. You should not hope that deep wounds will heal on their own, you need to contact a veterinarian.

If you let everything take its course, an infection can enter the wound that the animal simply cannot cope with. The suturing and removal of sutures in animals and humans is almost the same, the only difference is that the area of ​​​​the body that is injured is pre-shaved.

Removal of sutures in a cat and a dog is also performed 5-10 days after the operation, it all depends on the degree of damage, the speed of healing and the general health of the animal.

If a dog or cat has been seriously injured, do not hesitate, consult a doctor, do not risk the health and life of your pet.

Can the procedure be done at home?

There are cases when removal at home is allowed, but the procedure must be carefully prepared. If possible, still consult a doctor to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Remove the stitches at home only if you are sure of a good result, all the deadlines have come up and the wound heals normally. If the wound looks inflamed, and even worse - festering, then in this case, in no case try to do something on your own, you need to see a doctor.

The sequence of actions for independent removal of sutures:

  • Decide on the tools and carefully sterilize them. You can boil the tool, and then treat it well with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Never remove with a knife or blunt scissors, the tool must be safe and at the same time sharp enough!
  • Thoroughly wash and sterilize the incision and the skin around it.
  • Raise the first knot and gently pull, when a light thread appears, it must be cut. Now gently pull the thread with tweezers.
  • Continue doing the same for all nodes. Do not pull the knot through the skin, just the thread itself. Otherwise, you will damage the skin and bleeding may begin.
  • Now you need to carefully check the site so that there are no threads left in it. Treat the wound and apply a sterile dressing.

In principle, there is nothing complicated, but the slightest mistake or wrong approach threatens with serious problems. So if you still have doubts, don't risk it.

There are times when a wound needs specific care, which can only be done in a hospital by a professional. Therefore, patients are strongly discouraged from risking their health and the "beauty" of the future scar.

Why do you need to shoot?

It is necessary to remove the stitches within the time strictly specified by the doctor. If this is not done in time, inflammation will certainly begin. Do not allow this, because then you will have to undergo additional treatment.

In general, inflammation in the wound threatens with serious problems, including infection, so you need to carefully monitor the condition and visit the doctor in a timely manner.

The timing of wound removal and healing is an individual process. It is simply impossible to say exactly and definitely when and how to remove the stitches.

Each situation is considered exclusively on an individual basis by a surgeon. After removal, it is necessary to strictly follow all the requirements and recommendations of the doctor, only in this case, complete healing will be successful.

Surgical intervention of any complexity is a kind of stress for the body.

Even if the operation is a matter of life or death, the main task of the doctor is not only to perform it qualified, but also to prepare the patient for further recovery.

The most common way to connect different biological tissues, for example, the edges of surgical incisions, lacerations, or the walls of internal organs, to reduce bleeding, is suturing by the surgeon.

It is desirable that the stitches be removed by the same specialist who applied them, but there are situations when this is not possible.

It takes a certain amount of time for the wound to heal. If these deadlines have passed, and the wound looks completely healed, then you can try to remove the stitches yourself. But it is important to adhere to certain safety rules.

So let's find out how a person can remove stitches at home? First, let's look at what seams are.

To suture, various medical suture materials are used: absorbable or non-absorbable threads of biological or synthetic origin, as well as metal wire.

The sutures are divided depending on the time of their application: primary, delayed primary, provisional, early secondary and late secondary sutures, as well as immersed and removable sutures.

A removable suture is a type of surgical suture when the suture material is removed from the tissues after the wound has healed, and when a submerged suture is applied, the suture material, remaining in the tissues, dissolves after a certain time.

The primary suture is used to suture surgical wounds after the end of the surgical intervention or on a traumatic cut or laceration immediately after surgical treatment.

A delayed primary suture is applied for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of up to 7 days, granulation should develop in an accidental wound, and then an early secondary suture is applied to the wound.

The provisional suture is one of the varieties of the delayed primary suture, in this case, the threads are applied during the operation, and tied 2-3 days after the operation.

A late secondary suture is applied within 15 to 30 days or more when scar tissue appears in the wound.

Why is it important to remove stitches on time?

It is important to understand that the stitches need to be both properly applied and removed in time..

What happens if the stitches are not removed? If this is not done in time, then dangerous inflammation can begin, as the body will try to get rid of foreign material on its own.

A natural question arises: is it possible to remove the stitches yourself? Trying to remove stitches of any kind at home is not recommended. With independent actions, the likelihood of infection is very high, and this is fraught with serious consequences.

The following factors influence the timing of suture removal:

  • the presence of complications of the surgical wound;
  • regenerative features of the body;
  • the general condition of the patient;
  • patient's age;
  • in which area of ​​the body the operation was performed;
  • the complexity of the surgical intervention;
  • features of the disease.

How long after the operation do the stitches need to be removed? To put it simply, it is very individual, so only your doctor can determine the timing.

However, there are average terms that experts are guided by.. They depend on the type of surgical intervention (what kind of operation was performed) and the patient's condition (weakened, for example, by cancer, the patient's body will be worse rehabilitated, so it may require additional time for tissue healing).

Doctors usually remove stitches after surgery:

  • after surgery on the head - after 6 days;
  • with a small opening of the abdominal wall (appendectomy or hernia repair) - after 7 days;
  • in operations requiring a large opening of the abdominal wall (abdominal surgery or laparotomy) - the sutures are removed on days 9-12;
  • after surgical interventions on the chest, sutures are removed on the 10-14th day;
  • after amputations, the sutures must be removed after an average of 12 days;
  • during surgical interventions in patients weakened by diseases and infections, in the elderly, oncological patients (due to a decrease in the body's ability to regenerate) - the procedure is carried out not earlier, after 2 weeks.

Preparation

Before proceeding with the direct removal of stitches, make sure that it is not dangerous to do so. In most cases, it is better not to touch the seams with your hands at all.

If the stitches appeared as a result of a surgical operation or if they have not yet expired, then performing the procedure on your own is unlikely to bring positive results, but often this is fraught with harm.

Remember:

Choose what and how you are going to remove the stitches. At the same time, keep in mind that working with blunt scissors is to your own detriment. Also, do not try to remove the stitches with a knife, as it can slip off and cut you!

What tools do you need:

  • scalpel, surgical scissors, mounting knife or nail clippers (sterilized);
  • tweezers or tweezers (sterilized);
  • alcohol and hydrogen peroxide;
  • magnifier with built-in flashlight;
  • antibiotic ointment;
  • bandage (sterile).

Sterilize selected instruments. To do this, put them in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes, then you need to get them back, put them on a clean towel and wait until they are completely dry.

After that, wipe the instruments with alcohol. Such measures will prevent infection in the wound.

Wash the area where you are going to remove the stitches. All you need is water, soap and a clean towel.

You will also need cotton wool and alcohol to wipe the area around the seams with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Only after you have made sure that the area around the seams is completely clean, you can start working.

Let's take a closer look at how to remove stitches after surgery on your own.

If during the removal of the stitches the skin began to bleed, it means one thing - you rushed to remove the stitches! In this case, it is best to stop and see a doctor who will remove the remaining stitches.

In no case do not pull the knot itself through the skin, as it will certainly get stuck and provoke bleeding.

If the suture was placed intradermally, it is usually not removed. In this case, you should only cut the threads on both sides, tighten a little and notch. Then the wound is treated as described above and a bandage is applied.

In some cases, intradermal cosmetic sutures are removed. In this case, you need to pull the thread at one end, holding the other end of the wound.

So, the removal of stitches is a painless procedure, but still unpleasant. To do this, it is important to be a little patient. After a few days, everything should completely heal, the pain should go away.

However, if the pain syndrome appeared after the removal of the stitches, and the wound causes discomfort, you can take painkillers (Ketanov, Diclofenac, Meloxicam and others).

In addition, pain after suturing the wound may also be due to the fact that during the tying of knots in the wound, a part of the nerve ending may remain, which is constricted, and therefore causes pain.

If the wound was sewn up with silk threads, and they are non-absorbable suture material, they must be removed in time according to the method described above.

How to properly care for a scar? The main thing is that if you have any problems with the wound, consult a doctor in time.

If the wound reopens, you will need to stitch it again. Unfortunately, bandages alone and the expectation of healing in this case cannot be dispensed with.

So, process the seam twice a day. How to handle it? If you have hydrogen peroxide on hand, that's great.

First, moisten the seam with hydrogen peroxide, waiting until it finishes “hissing”. After that, soak a sterile bandage in peroxide. Using a cotton swab, apply brilliant green directly to the seam.

It will not be possible to feel strong pain, only a slight burning sensation may occur, which will soon pass. If the seam is inflamed in some places, lightly cauterize it with 40% medical alcohol.

The entire seam cannot be wiped, as the skin will become very dry, and this will slow down the process of tissue repair. If you can not stop the inflammatory process, be sure to visit the surgeon, after consulting with him on this issue.

It is forbidden to treat the seam with iodine! Replace brilliant green with fucorcin, however, its disadvantage is that it will be very difficult to wash it off after the wound has healed.

Also try not to remove the scabs and not remove the whitish coating, as this indicates that a new layer of epithelium is being built. When it is damaged, depressions are formed, so even a cosmetic seam can remain noticeable for life.

Reminders

It is not recommended to remove stitches after extensive surgery on your own.. All of the above instructions are only intended to assist in the removal of small stitches.

Unless your surgeon has told you otherwise, try not to wet or wash the cuts from the stitches with soap.

Do not remove surgical braces at home. To do this, doctors use a special tool, and your manipulations can only aggravate the injury.

So, if you have the above knowledge and do everything carefully, then you don’t have to worry about possible infection and tissue damage, and the scar will no longer bother with its soreness.

However, it is worth recognizing that going to the doctor is a safer method of getting rid of stitches.

The timing of suture removal varies widely depending on the location and dynamics of wound healing. As a rule, interrupted sutures from linear wounds are removed by the “halving” method on the 5th, 7th and 9th days. When removing sutures from a wound of complex configuration, they are first removed from the tops of the flaps (5th day), every second suture - on the 7th, and the remaining sutures - on the 9th day.

To improve the healing of the wound edges and facilitate the removal of sutures, the knots should be shifted to one side of the wound line.

Surgical tweezers and pointed scissors should be used to remove sutures. The use of a scalpel blade for this purpose is unacceptable.

Technique for removing interrupted sutures

1. After preliminary treatment of the wound edges (suture zone) with an antiseptic solution, the knot is fixed with surgical tweezers.
2. The seam is tightened by 2-3 mm so that that part of the thread that was under the skin appears. At the same time, its characteristic whitish coloring is visible.
3. With pointed scissors, the thread is crossed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe characteristic staining under the knot.
4. The thread is removed and placed on a napkin or gauze ball.

1. For maximum atraumaticity of this action, the surgeon's hands must be supported.
2. After crossing the thread with the slightly open ends of the scissors, you can hold the skin while pulling the thread.

Removal of adaptive interrupted sutures

1. With tweezers, pull up that part of the thread that is on the surface of the skin on the side opposite to the knot.
2. Cross at the surface of the skin part of the thread that passes intradermally.
3. Cut the thread passing through the subcutaneous adipose tissue.
4. Having captured the knot, the threads are pulled out.

With a gauze ball, the skin is held or even slightly pulled along the seam line in the direction opposite to the movement of the thread.

When removing continuous two-row sutures over 10 cm long, both threads are pulled up and cut under one of the knots. Pulling up the remaining knot, the hypodermic thread is seized separately, pulled out and crossed directly at the knot. The remaining intradermal thread is pulled out at a later date, holding the skin with a gauze ball and gently pulling it with your hand in the opposite direction.

Finally, the skin scar is treated with an antiseptic.

G.M. Semenov, V.L. Petrishin, M.V. Kovshova

Sometimes a person cannot avoid surgery. In this case, an incision is made on the body, which is then sutured. Next comes the process of restoration and regeneration. On what day after the operation are the sutures removed and is scar care necessary?

Features of removing postoperative sutures

Most require an incision in the patient's tissues. In order for the wound to grow together, a suture is needed. Although this process is very unpleasant, it is very important.

Of course, no one removes the stitches on their own. All manipulations should be carried out only by a doctor. He will also evaluate the condition of the incision site, and may adjust the time of extraction of the threads. As for the materials with which wounds are sutured, the following are used.

Fixed

Resorbable materials that do not need to be removed include catgut. Produced from the intestines of animals. They are used in surgery and transplantation of internal organs. Convenient for superficial shallow wounds and incisions (rupture of the perineum after childbirth).

Removable

These are silk threads, nylon, nylon and even staples or wire. Such materials securely fix the wound, and the likelihood of suture divergence is minimal. Requires mechanical removal.


So on what day are the stitches removed after? This usually happens 7-10 days later. This period also depends on the type of operation and the characteristics of the patient. With surgery on the abdomen, face, chest, the healing period will be approximately 7 days. After delivery by caesarean section, the process will take up to 8-10 days.

The sutures are removed only when the edges of the wound have already grown together. It's also not worth overdoing. This threatens that the threads begin to grow into the skin and a rather noticeable mark may remain.

Before removing the threads, the physician processes the site of the operation. For manipulations, tools such as tweezers and scissors (or a scalpel) are needed. When applying several stitches, they can be removed not all at once, but gradually.

This procedure can hardly be called pleasant, but at the same time it is almost painless. This is an important and necessary step on the road to recovery.

What determines the period of removal of the threads

What is the timing of suture removal? It depends on various factors, the most common are:

  1. Part of the body. Different parts of the body are supplied with blood in different ways. Somewhere the regeneration process is faster, somewhere slower. First of all, connecting materials are removed from the face and neck area (sometimes for 4-5 days). Later - from the feet and legs (for 10-12 days).
  2. Availability. If the incision is infected, the threads can be removed the next day. Sometimes it is necessary that the wound be open.
  3. Body mass. The larger the fat layer, the worse the tissues grow together, and the blood circulation slows down.
  4. Dehydration. The lack of fluid in the body negatively affects electrolyte metabolism and inhibits important processes.
  5. Age. With age, the ability to regenerate decreases. For humans, it will take much longer for the incision to heal (about 2 weeks).
  6. Presence of chronic diseases and status. Adverse processes in the body (HIV infection, chemotherapy) slow down the healing rate and increase the risk of complications after surgery.

The decision on when to remove the postoperative suture should be made by the attending physician. For this, indicators of age, health, and the characteristics of a particular operation are taken into account. Despite accepted norms, terms may vary.

Processing and required materials

Sutures require processing for two weeks after surgery. This is necessary in order to exclude infection and suppuration of the incision site.


For manipulations, the following materials may be needed:

  • hydrogen,
  • Zelenka, fukortsin,
  • hypertonic solution,
  • sterile wipes, bandages,
  • alcohol, tweezers.

An example processing algorithm looks like this:

  1. Moisten a sterile hydrogen bandage and blot the affected area. Use tweezers. If you have a seam, the processing should be delicate. No need to rub or press hard.
  2. You can lightly cauterize the wound with alcohol (especially if the seam is inflamed in some places).
  3. You need to apply a sterile bandage. Before this, the material is wetted in a solution of sodium chloride (10%) and squeezed out. Another napkin is superimposed on top and fixed with a bandage and adhesive plaster.
  4. With a good condition of the seam and the absence of suppuration, it is enough to repeat the procedure every two days.

You do not need to remove the crusts, whitish coating of the epithelium on your own. If they are damaged, the skin is re-injured and the cosmetic seam may become more noticeable. It is impossible to completely get rid of it and the scar will accompany you for the rest of your life.

Aftercare of the scar

If during the examination the doctor confirmed that everything is fine with the incision site, special care is not required. It is enough to treat the scar with brilliant green once a day. It is better not to take cotton wool, its fibers can catch on fabrics, and it will be quite problematic to remove them.


If the scar does not ooze, then there is no need to apply a plaster. On the contrary, for the speedy healing, air access is needed.

The very next day after removing the stitches, it is allowed to wash in the shower. The water temperature should be comfortable and close to the body. It is best to use a piece of gauze and baby soap for the area around the scar. After a shower, this area is smeared with baby cream (not the scar itself).

Do not forget to monitor the condition of the skin even after the stitches are removed. If you notice the appearance of discharge or, you need to inform the doctor. Sometimes the processing has to be entrusted to medical personnel.

The time for removing the sutures may vary slightly depending on various factors - the nature, depth of the incision, and the health of the patient. When this should be done is decided by the doctor. Self-removal of threads is excluded. It is also important to remember about proper scar care at home. Report any suspicious changes to your doctor.

About the care of the postoperative suture after cesarean section - on the video:

Surgical suture - Wikipedia

Surgical suture- is a thread used to connect tissues to form a scar, or epithelialization.

Suture materials have been used for several millennia. The first mention of suture material was found 2000 BC in a Chinese treatise on medicine. Mention was made of intestinal and skin sutures using threads of plant origin. In ancient times, various materials were used for seams: horse hair, cotton, skin patches, tree fibers and animal tendons.

In 175 BC, Galen first described catgut (ketgat - cat gut). Interestingly, the literal translation of this word from English is “cat’s gut”. In the middle of the 19th century, Joseph Lister described methods for sterilizing catgut threads, and since then they have entered into widespread practice as the only material. Another modern suture material is silk. Its use in surgery was first described in 1050 AD. In 1924, in Germany, Hermann and Hochl first obtained polyvinyl alcohol, which is considered the first synthetic suture material. In 1927 in America, Corotes repeated the discovery and called the resulting material nylon. In the 1930s, two more synthetic suture materials were created in Western laboratories: kapron (polyamide) and lavsan (polyester). Already in the late 1930s and 1940s, these materials began to be widely used in surgery.
In 1956, a fundamentally new material appeared: polypropylene.
In 1971, synthetic absorbable sutures were first used.

In appearance, surgical sutures can be nodal (Fig. 1.1), continuous (Fig. 1.2), purse-string (Fig. 1.3), Z-shaped (Fig. 1.4) and twisted. After suturing, they are pulled together so that the edges of the wound are in contact, and tied with a non-dissolving straight (marine) knot (Fig. 1.5). Some suture materials (kapron, nylon) are tied with a double (Fig. 1.6) or triple knot due to the fact that otherwise they are easily untied.
For suturing, needle holders and curved or straight needles of various curvature and section are used. The thread is threaded into the eye of the needle from above (Fig. 2). More and more widely used is a mechanical seam with the help of staplers (see), and metal brackets (mainly tantalum) serve as suture material.

Stitches for accidental incised, non-contaminated wounds of the skin, face, lips, fingers can be independently working paramedic. Suturing, accompanied by surgical treatment of the wound, is performed only by a doctor. The removal of sutures is often entrusted to a paramedic or dressing nurse. It is performed on the 7-10th day after application (at an earlier date - on the face, neck, in the absence of tissue tension and good wound healing, later - in elderly and senile patients). After lubricating the suture line with an alcoholic solution of iodine, one of the ends of the suture is taken with anatomical tweezers and pulled so that a part of the thread that is not stained with iodine tincture appears below the knot (Fig. 3). It is crossed with scissors and the entire seam is removed by sipping. After secondary lubrication of the suture line with an alcoholic solution of iodine, a glue bandage is applied. Preparation of material for sutures - see Sterilization in surgery.
On some tissues and organs, special types of surgical sutures are used - intestinal suture (see), nerve suture (see), vascular suture (see), tendon suture (see). Surgical sutures connecting the bones - see Osteosynthesis.

Yes, sure. The condition of the wound and the degree of tension of its edges is one of the many factors that determine the timing of suture removal. So, why is it recommended to remove the sutures on the 14th postoperative day in case of low-energy tissue separation with a scalpel during an operation for carpal tunnel syndrome, and in case of a wound caused by a circular saw, sutures can be removed on the 7th day? Is there no difference in the condition even of the edges of these two compared wounds?

I see no reason for serious disagreement.
The sutures should be removed when the edges of the wound have more or less reliably grown together. I don’t think that those who suggested removing the stitches on the stomach a week after the operation, and those who advise removing the stitches on the hand for 10-14 days, took these terms simply “out of the blue”. And serious disagreements will arise when the edges of the wound part and a protruding bone fragment is found at the bottom of it, the closure of which will then have to be dealt with for several additional weeks. Best case scenario.

I don't understand aggression. You gave quotes on the removal of stitches in several other clinical situations, this is the first. No one saw the wound at the topikstarter - this is second. I see no reason for disagreement, no topic for discussion at all.

I don't understand aggression.

And there is no aggression. Hard explanation of the situation - yes.

You gave quotes on the removal of stitches in several other clinical situations, this is the first. No one saw the wound at the topikstarter - this is second.
Well, yes. I gave quotes from what caught my eye. Clinical situations are indeed different. Wouldn't you mind that when a wound is inflicted with a circular saw, the condition of the soft tissues is much worse than when a skin incision is made in a planned manner in a "clean" operating room with a scalpel? So, with such a "clean" surgical wound, the sutures are removed for some reason not after 7 days. And there is only one explanation: the seams can come apart with the ensuing troubles. There are explanations for such timing of suture removal, but I didn’t come up with all this, so I won’t explain. I focus on those specialists who wrote about such terms in smart books. I trust these authors, they are much smarter than me personally and they have more experience than I do. And you, by the way, if you are interested, take an interest in the timing of the removal of sutures from hand surgeons. The latter meet with a similar pathology every day.

I see no reason for disagreement, no topic for discussion at all.
And there are disagreements, and even more reason for discussion. It's just that everyone has their own personal opinion and no one can force each other to do it this way, and not in another way. Everyone is responsible for himself. But everyone can also express their opinion at the Forum.

Immersion and removable seams. Seams in the depths of the tissues, remaining in the tissues forever, are applied mainly from absorbable material, mainly catgut, or from an accumulating material, for example, silk, linen threads. These seams are called submersible.

For stitching the skin and generally superficial tissues, non-absorbable material (brackets), as well as silk, linen threads or, in more rare cases, catgut are used. Such a seam is called superficial, or removable.

The timing of suture removal depends on many factors:

  • the presence of local complications of the surgical wound
  • regenerative features of the body
  • the condition of the patient
  • his age
  • anatomical region and its trophism
  • the nature of the surgery
  • features of the disease.

The average term for removing surgical sutures is 6-9 days after application, but usually the terms differ depending on various factors.

The timing of suture removal depends on a number of factors:

The sutures should be removed only when the edges of the wound are firmly fused. However, if the seam is not removed on time, this also threatens with problems. The seams can fester, and the threads can grow into the skin, then a more noticeable trace will remain from the wound.

In any case, the decision on the need or possibility of removing sutures should be made by the surgeon after examining the wound.

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