stumpy Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 Hi, I recently had a small surgical procedure performed under local anaethesia. The surgeon started to suture with dissolving thread but then changed to a different type of suture. This was thicker, brown in colour and has a plastic feel to it. Can anyone take a guess as to what this second suture is and why the surgeon would change from the thinner suture. Also the surgeon stated the sutures would fall out by themselves and therefore would not need removing. Thanks in advance, Stump_Dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 vicryl or catgut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted June 2, 2002 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 Hansum Man, Are these also dissolving sutures or will they need to be removed? The came in a metal flat package that looked a brown? colour on the outside. Thanks for the help here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 i'd assumed when u said that the suture would fall out spontaneously that you meant it was an absorbable suture - i guess this is still the case if the surgeon said they'd fall out as no non-absorbable sutures eg nylon or prolene would 'fall out' spontaneously (not within a few weeks at any rate, unless the surgeon was crap at knot tying) impossible to name your suture based on info u gave - 'plastic feel' suggests a nylon/prolene type material, brown might suggest chromic coating eg chromic catgut (which is what i guess it porbably was) all sutures come in metallic packages, the colour of the pack varies with the company making the suture -what op was it for and in which country was it performed and also why do u care what suture it was?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted June 2, 2002 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 Thanks Hansum Man, I guess it is impossible for you to say without seeing the suture. I didn't realise there was such a range and hoped my description might be enough. I had the operation in the UK and was curious as to why the surgeon had stopped using a dissolving suture and swapped to this thick and uncomfortable suture. Also I considered if the sutures didn't drop out as he suggested and if they were non-absorbable I would have to go back for the nurse to remove them. I was just trying to use the knowledge on the board to predict the near future. Cheers, Stump_Dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomc12 Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 The suture was catgut, plain or chromic. A dissolving suture or a suture that will fall out by itself-both mean the same thing. Your surgeon may have decided to use a thicker suture for more tensile strength in pulling the wound edges together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 oh, the op was in the uk? then the brown suture was probably chromic catgut which is an absorbable suture coated to prolong the length of time before biodegrading - the length of time will depend on the dianeter of the suture - which in turn would depend on the tissues/part of the body being sutured as to why he changd from one suture to another would again depend on the op and body part involved - if he thought u were the squemish type who wouldn't cope with the thought of having sutures removed later then he could use an absorbable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2002 Report Share Posted June 2, 2002 It would probably help if you felt comfortable describing the procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted June 4, 2002 Report Share Posted June 4, 2002 Erm, haven't we been round this block before, gents? i. e. there was a thread called Dissolving Sutures around April time. . . That might be of help. Or not. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted June 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2002 Jack, If you want to know I've just had a revision of the April procedure and hence my reason for the question about the different suture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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