When you sustain an injury, it may result in open wounds that take considerable time to heal if left untreated. The affected area becomes vulnerable to infections and can cause discomfort. In such cases, sutures are necessary to protect the wound from pathogens and promote healing.

A surgical suture aids your wound healing. It is a medical device that holds your body's tissues together in the wounded area. The application usually involves using a needle with the suture attached to it, which is sown into the skin to close and repair deep cuts.

The following are a few key things to know about sutures to help you understand their function better:

Varieties

Sutures come in two main varieties. They are as follows:

1. Absorbable sutures

Absorbable sutures do not require any removal. The enzymes of your skin tissues naturally digest them with time. However, you cannot use them for all kinds of wounds despite their convenience.

2. Non-absorbable sutures

You must remove non-absorbable sutures within a few days or weeks after surgery. However, in some cases, they can be left in permanently.

Material

The material of surgical sutures plays a significant role in its functionality. For example, non-absorbable ones contain synthetic materials. These include nylon, polypropylene, silk, and polyester. On the other hand, absorbable sutures contain natural materials. These include catgut, reconstituted collagen, polyglycolide, etc.

The type of suture used depends on factors such as the type of tissue involved, the location of the wound, and the duration the suture needs to remain in place.

Types

Each wound is different from the other. It all boils down to where you have injured yourself and how deep the damage is. Considering this, there are different types of sutures. Here are some of them:

1. Gut

Gut sutures are monofilament sutures used to repair soft tissue lacerations or wounds. Such absorbable sutures take longer to heal and usually leave scarring.

2. Polydioxanone (PDS)

Polydioxanone is a synthetic monofilament suture commonly used for soft tissue repairs in abdominal closures, cardiovascular surgeries, general orthopaedic surgeries, etc.

3. Poliglecaparone (MONOCRYL)

Poliglecaparone sutures are synthetic ones that come in handy for general use in soft tissue repair. They are ideal for repairing wounds in prominent body areas because they do not leave any significant scarring behind.

4. Polyglactin

Polyglactin is another synthetically braided suture commonly used to repair hand or face lacerations and cuts.

Suture techniques

Professional sew sutures in using different techniques, some of which are as follows:

• Continuous- Involves a series of stitches using single suture material.
• Interrupted- Involves several strands of sutures to close the wound.
• Deep- Involves suture placement under the layers of the skin's tissue.
• Buried- Involves tying a suture knot inside the injury so it is not visible.
• Purse-string- Involves sewing the suture continuously around the wound to tighten it.
• Subcutaneous- Involves placing the suture in the dermis.