Surgical stitches are most often done the old-fashioned way: with a needle and thread. “The stitches – or sutures – serve to approximate the edges of wounds caused by sharp objects in surgeries or accidents”, says Dulce Martins, plastic surgeon at Unifesp. This junction of the edges facilitates the healing and regeneration of the cut tissues. In most cases, sewing with a needle and thread is the best option. The lines can be made with material of animal and vegetable origin (such as collagen from the bovine intestine, silk and cotton), with steel wires or synthetic materials (nylon and polyester, for example). The ideal line type and thickness for closing a wound depends on the depth of the cut and the tissue affected. In antiquity, Egyptians, Indians, Greeks and Romans used everything from plant fibers and hair to ant claws to close cuts. The oldest known spots are on a mummy that is over 3,000 years old. From the beginning of the Christian era until the 19th century, almost nothing has changed. The most recent innovation is synthetic threads, from the 1930s. :-O
Thread and needle close from cesarean deliveries to internal organs and blood vessels
1. To apply stitches, the needle holder, similar to scissors, holds the hook-shaped needle. It is 0.001 to 0.8 mm thick, depending on the diameter of the surgical wire.
2. Sewing begins with the needle going through the skin to connect the walls at the deepest part of the cut. Then the thread is pulled back to the surface to close the knot.
3. The needle holder helps to tie the knot and close the stitch. Then, just cut the ends with scissors and wait for the skin to heal. It is important that there are no empty spaces left in the cut, to avoid infections.
4. When the superficial “mended” tissue is recovered, it is time to remove the stitches with tweezers and scissors. Absorbable sutures, used in organs and blood vessels, dispense with this step.
Glue stick and stapler are also on the operating tables to close cuts.
CLIP
MATERIAL – It can be an absorbable plastic or stainless steel and titanium, non-absorbable
APPLICATION – They work well in thick regions with constant movement, such as the belly, and for hollow organs, such as the intestine. They are made with a stapler
ADVANTAGES – Quick application and more force to join the fabrics
DISADVANTAGES – High cost and coarser healing. Only surface staples are removed
GLUE
MATERIAL – Organic glue is made from fibrinogen, a bovine protein, mixed with snake venom. Synthetic is similar to Super Bonder
APPLICATION – Organic is best used for skin cuts, and synthetic works best on solid organs such as the spleen and liver
ADVANTAGES – Quick application, formation of a film that “bars” microorganisms, more discreet healing and natural removal
DISADVANTAGES – Expensive and does not work on thick fabrics