SUTURES, NEEDLESTERMINOLOGY
TERM
ABSORBABLE
NONABSORBABLE
RATE of ABSORPTION
TYPES OF ABSORPTION
ANASTOMOSIS
APPROXIMATE
PRIMARY SUTURE LINE
SECOND SUTURE LINE
SUTURE BOOK
SUTURE ROUTINE
BURIED SUTURE
INTERRUPTED SUTURE
CONTINUOUS SUTURE is also called
“RUNNING -can be “locked” (blanket)
“OVER AND OVER”
HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL MATTRESS
DEEP SUTURE
SUBCUTICULAR SUTURE
RETENTION OR STAY SUTURE
Bridges/bolsters/rubber shods protect skin
LIGATURE
Free Tie – cut strand placed in surgeon’s
open hand
Reel Tie – continuous tie on spool
Tie on passer – cut strand placed on clamp
and handed to surgeon
SYNTHETIC
NATURAL gut – sheep submucosa
Silk from silkworm Cotton – cotton plant
Steel – carbon, iron metals
Cotton – cotton plant
NEEDLES – named by point
Blunt – Rounded body tapers to blunt.
Friable tissue use – liver, kidney, spleen
DEFINITION
Sutures absorbed by the body. The rate of
absorption depends on suture type.
Sutures that are NOT absorbed by the
body.
Time it takes to be dissolved by tissues
Hydrolysis – suture breakdown by water in
body tissues = only synthetics
Phagocytosis – suture breakdown by
enzymes in body tissues = only naturals
To join lumen structures by suture/staples
Bringing of edges together for better
alignment of tissue for wound closure.
Direct wound closure – 1st Intention
Supporting suture line (see stay suture)
Surgical towel containing multiple
procedure sutures organized/ready for us
Surgeon’s preference – same procedure =
same sutures used (found on card)
Stitch placed completely under surface
Series of single stitches individually tied
Series of stitches all tied at end of series.
Suture placed in deep tissue layers
Sutures placed under skin – knot seen only
Second suture line to support and take
pressure off primary line
Used to tie off vessels or ducts. Secured by
knotting. AKA = “ties”
StickTie –swaged suture on needle holder
AKA - Atraumatic
Suture material man made from chemicals
Suture material derived from nature.
Cutting – 3 flat edges - skin, tendon, bone
Taper – Rounded body tapers- Intestine,
organs, muscle use.
PRIMARY SUTURE LINE
Sutures that directly hold wound together
SECOND SUTURE LINE
Supporting suture line – takes pressure off
primary suture line (“stay” suture)
Strand of material used to approximate
tissue, ligate vessels or ducts
Surgical towel containing multiple sutures
to be used in procedure. Keeps different
size ties organized and readily available
Surgeon’s preference - Same routine =
same suture
Force of pull, measured in pounds, that
knotted strand can withstand before it
breaks. Determined by size and type of
suture material.
Ability of suture to move moisture along
the length of its strand.
Braided = wick Monofilament = no wick
SUTURE
SUTURE BOOK
SUTURE ROUTINE
TENSILE STRENGTH
WICKING