How many types of surgical sutures are there?

During a surgical operation, the wound needs to be sutured after the operation, and surgical sutures are needed at this time. In addition, people may suffer trauma due to some accidents in life, such as accidentally getting cut by a knife. At this time, they have to go to the hospital to suture the wound, and surgical sutures are also needed. So what types of surgical sutures are used in medicine?

How many types of surgical sutures are there?

Absorbable suture

Absorbable sutures are divided into catgut, chemical synthetic suture (PGA), and pure natural collagen suture according to their material and degree of absorption.

1. Catgut: It is made from the intestines of healthy animals and contains collagen, so there is no need to remove the stitches after suturing. There are two types of medical gut: ordinary gut and chrome gut, both of which are absorbable. The time required for absorption depends on the thickness of the intestinal thread and the condition of its tissue. It usually takes 6 to 20 days to be absorbed, but individual differences among patients affect the absorption process, and may even lead to no absorption. Currently, all catguts are packaged in disposable sterile packaging, which is easy to use.

(1) Ordinary gut: an easily absorbable suture made from the submucosal tissue of sheep or bovine intestine. It is absorbed quickly, but the tissue reaction to the gut is slightly greater. It is mostly used for ligating blood vessels in tissues or subcutaneous tissues that heal faster and for suturing infected wounds. It is commonly used in mucous membranes such as the uterus and bladder.

(2) Chrome gut: This type of gut is treated with chromic acid, which slows down tissue absorption and causes less inflammatory response than ordinary gut. It is generally used in gynecological and urological surgeries, and is the suture often used in kidney and ureteral surgeries because silk thread can promote the formation of stones. Soak it in saline when using, and straighten it after it softens to facilitate surgical operation.

2. Chemical synthetic thread (PGA, PGLA, PLA): A kind of polymer linear material made by modern chemical technology, made through processes such as wire drawing and coating. It is generally absorbed within 60-90 days and the absorption is stable. If it is due to the production process and there are other non-degradable chemical components, the absorption will be incomplete.

3. Pure natural collagen sutures: They are made from the tendons of special animals, such as the otter. They have a high content of pure natural collagen. The production process does not involve any chemical ingredients and has the properties that collagen should have. They are the fourth generation sutures in the true sense. It has the characteristics of complete absorption, high tensile strength, good biocompatibility, promotion of cell growth, etc. Depending on the thickness of the thread, it usually takes 8-15 days to be completely absorbed, and the absorption is stable and reliable, with no obvious individual differences.

Non-absorbable suture

That is, the sutures cannot be absorbed by the tissue, so they need to be removed after suturing. The specific time for removing stitches varies depending on the suture site, wound and patient's condition. When the wound heals well and there is no infection or other abnormal condition: remove stitches on the face and neck after 4-5 days; on the lower abdomen and perineum after 6-7 days; on the chest, upper abdomen, back and buttocks after 7-9 days; on the limbs after 10-12 days. The stitches near the joints can be extended a little, and the tension-reducing sutures can be removed after 14 days. In special cases such as malnutrition and high incision tension, the suture removal time may be appropriately extended. The time for stitch removal can be shortened for teenagers, and the time for stitch removal can be delayed for the elderly, diabetics, and those with chronic diseases. If the wound is obviously infected such as redness, swelling, heat, pain, etc. after surgery, the stitches should be removed in advance. Suture removal should be delayed in the following circumstances:

1. Patients with severe anemia, emaciation, and mild cachexia.

2. Those with severe dehydration or water and electrolyte imbalance that has not been corrected.

3. Elderly patients and infants.

4. When coughing is uncontrolled, the suture removal of chest and abdominal incisions should be delayed.