Sutures & Needles Flashcards

1
Q

Which types of tissue tend to heal slowly?

A

Dense fascia

Tendons

Ligaments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

40%

2 months time

A

Fascia regains approximately ___ percent of its orginal strength in ___ months.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

True or false:

Visceral wounds heal rather slowly.

A

False

Visceral wounds heal rapidly, attaining maximal strength within 14-21 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

True or false:

No tissue ever regains 100% of its original strength.

A

False

The urinary bladder will regain 100% of its original strength within 14 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How long will the stomach take to regain maximum strength?

A

14-21 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

True or false:

Skin heals relatively quickly.

A

False

Skin heals relatively slowly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

When sutures are removed from the skin at the 10-14 day mark, a wound has regained only what percentage of its original strenth back?

A

10%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Collagen synthesis occurs ___ days postoperatively.

A

5-42 days postoperatively

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

List in order the following tissues from the slowest to heal to the fastest to heal:

Colon

Stomach

Bladder

Fascia

Skin

A

Fascia

Skin

Colon

Stomach

Bladder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Which type of sutures are broken down by the non-inflammatory process of hydrolysis?

A

Synthetic absorbables:

Monofilament

Multifilament

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Which type of sutures undergo digestion by acid proteases produced by inflammatory cells?

A

Natural absorbables:

Catgut

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the advantages of using a SYNTHETIC absorbable?

A

Predictable rate of breakdown

Non-reactive

Do NOT stimulate inflammatory cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are 2 examples of a SYNTHETIC absorbable suture?

A

Monocril

Vicryl

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Which type of suture is “encapsulated and walled off by the body’s fibroblasts”?

A

Nonabsorbable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the NATURAL nonabsorbable sutures?

A

Silk

Cotton

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the METAL nonabsorbalbe sutures?

A

Stainless steel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the SYNTHETIC nonabsorbable sutures?

A

Nylon

Polyester

Polypropylene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Which type of nonabsorbable suture is often preferred for skin suturing?

A

Synthetic NYLON

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

True or false:

Synthetic absorbable sutures disappear more quickly than they lose tensile strength.

A

False

Synthetic absorbable sutures lose strength more quickly than they disappear.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Which type of suture is the following referring to? :

More throws for knots

More tension for tissue apposition

Less drag

No capillarity

A

Monofilament

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Which type of suture is the following referring to? :

Better knot security

Less tension required for tissue apposition

Coated to reduce drag

A

Multifilament

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

True or false:

The construction of multifilament sutures allows bacteria, tissue fluids, and inflammatory cells to penetrate the interstices of the stand.

A

False

Multifiament sutures DO NOT allow inflammatory cells to penetrate them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the downside to suture capillarity?

A

Bacteria are sequestered away from PMNs and macrophages

(Bacteria and tissue fluids are able to penetrate the interstices of the multifimant suture stand, BUT inflammatory cells CANNOT!)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Place the following in order of increasing stiffness:

Braided polyesters

Silk

Stainless steel

Nylon and gut

A

Silk - least stiff

Brainded polyesters - less stiff

Nylon and gut - stiff

Stainless steel - very stiff

25
Q

True or false:

Multifilament nonabsorbable sutures should NEVER be used in a contaminated wound with the potential for infection.

A

TRUE

26
Q

True or false:

Synthetic absorbables elicit minimal inflammatory responses, similar to nylon.

A

TRUE

27
Q

True or False:

All absorbable sutures induce a cellular reaction.

A

FALSE

All NON-absorbable sutures induce a cellular reaction.

28
Q

Put the following in order of increasing potential of causing a cellular reaction:

Polyester

Nylon

Silk and cotton

Polypropylene and steel

A

Polypropylene and steel

Nylon

Polyester

Silk and cotton

29
Q

Tissues that heal slowly such as skin, fascia, and tendons/ligaments should usually be closed with what type of sutures?

A

Nonabsorbable sutures

30
Q

Tissues that heal rapidly such as viscera, bladder, and GI tract may be closed with which type of sutures?

A

Absorbable sutures

31
Q

Which type of sutures should be used in URINARY and BILIARY tracts?

A

Rapidly absorbable sutures

32
Q

Place the following in order of increasing infection-potentiating effect:

Synthetic monofilament

Synthetic multifilament

Natureal materials (gut, silk, etc.)

A

Synthetic monofilament

Synthetic multifilament

Natureal materials (gut, silk, etc.)

33
Q

Which type of suture should you use where infection is more likely, monofilament or multifilament?

A

Monofilament

34
Q

Dead space = potential infection

Sutures = potential infection

WHAT DO YOU DO??

A

Close dead space in the least amount of suture material possible.

35
Q

True or false:

Extra throws can add additional strength.

A

False

Extra throws do NOT add strength, just bulk!

36
Q
A

Square knot

37
Q
A

Granny knot

38
Q
A

Half-hitch (or tumbled) knot

39
Q
A

Surgeon’s knot

40
Q

Where are sutures the WEAKEST?

A

At the knot

41
Q

For interrupted sutures, how many throws and knots are adequate?

A

4 throws

2 knots

42
Q

For continuous patterns, how many throws and square knots are adequate?

A

6-8 throws

3-4 knots

43
Q

How long should cut ends be in length?

A

3-5 milimeters

44
Q

Which suture pattern is stronger, interrupted or continuous?

A

Continuous

45
Q

What are the components of a needle?

A

Swage - green

Body - yellow

Point - purple

46
Q

Which type of needle should be used for soft tissues that do NOT resist needle penetration, such as (1) abdominal viscera, (2) cardiovascular, and (3) neurological procedures?

A

Tap & taper cut

47
Q
A

Taper & taper cut

48
Q

What type of needle should be used for (1) skin, (2) fascia, and (3) dense tissue?

A

Reverse cutting

49
Q
A

Reverse cutting

50
Q
A

Spatula

51
Q

What are spatula needles used for?

A

Cornea, sclera, eyelid muscle repairs

52
Q

What type of needle should be used in hernia repairs?

A

Blunt taper

53
Q

What else can the blunt taper needle be used for?

A

Used to suture friable tissues such as LIVER and KIDNEY

54
Q
A

Blunt taper needle

55
Q

Compaired to sutures, what are the advantages of staples?

A

Greater resistance to infection

Decreased inflammatory response

Decreased closure time

Promotion of skin edge eversion

Good cosmetic results

56
Q

What type of wounds can skin glue be used on?

A

Small skin wounds with NO TENSION

57
Q

When will the skin glue slough from the skin?

A

Typically sloughs with the keratinized epithelium in 5-10 days after application

58
Q

True or false:

Skin glue is intended for use as a bridge over the top of a wound, between cut edges, and to glue skin together.

A

FALSE

Do NOT put glue between cut edges

Do NOT super glue skin together

ONLY use as a bridge over the top

59
Q
A