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Abigail B. Habiling

BSN IV- 3; Group 3

SUTURES

ABSORBABLE SUTURES- it breaks down over time in the body. The amount of time it takes a

suture to break down in the body depends on a few factors such as suture type, size and the

location it is placed.

1. Surgical Gut- used in suturing oral mucosa, small vessels2. Chromic Sutures- large vessel ties, muscle, fascia3. Synthetic Absorbable

a. Vicryl- use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, including use inophthalmic procedures, but not for use in cardiovascular and neurological tissues.

b. Dexon- use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, including use inophthalmic procedures, but not for use in cardiovascular and neurological tissues.

NoteSuture absorption rates can increase in patients with fever, infection or protein

deficiency. Also, the strength to a suture will decrease significantly prior to its complete

breakdown time. Therefore a suture with higher tissue tension will have a greater chance of

failure prior to the amount of time listed above

Non-Absorbable Suture

Nylon (Ethilon), Gortex, Silk, Fiberwire, Ethibond, Prolene and Steel are all example of non absorbablesuture. When used on the skin, these sutures will be removed however when used in the body they will

be retained inside the tissue.

Common uses for non absorbable suture:

Interrupted skin suturing when sutures will be removed later, 4-0 Nylon

Securing drains to skin, 2-0 Silk

Repair stitches for blood vessels, 6-0 Prolene

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Vessel graft stitches for AAA, Fem-Pop or Carotid Artery grafts 5-0, 6-0 prolene or gortex

Bowel repair stitch, 3-0 silk

Achilles Tendon Repair, #5 Ethibond or Fiberwire

Color Coding:

Plain Gut: Yellow

Chromic: BrownSilk- Light Blue

Nylon: Green

Prolene- Royal Blue

Vicryl- Violet

Cotton- Pink

NEEDLES

Classification of Needles

1.According to the Eye

a. Regular eyedthreaded like ordinary sewing needle

b. Eyeless or swayedatraumatic, also known as dulex, atroloo

c. French or Spring Eyethere is slit from the end of the needle to the eye, through which is

the sutureis drawn to thread it.

2.According to Shape, of shaft, cutting or non-cutting

a.Non-cuttingthese are rounded bodied and are use on tissue that offers a small amount of

resistance to the needle as it passes thru.

- used to suture the viscera, peritoneum, muscle

b.Cutting

these make a slight tear in tissue, and the suture tends to cut it a little more.-used for tough tissues that a round needle cannot well go through such as tendon,

peritoneum,fascia, subcutaneous and skin.

3.According to Shaft or Body

a. Straightused primarily for skin closures

b. Curvedused inside for quickly recovery of the point of needle.

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BLADES