Suturing Flashcards
What are the three principles of wound repair?
Minimize trauma to tissue. Minimize tension at wound edges. Accurately approximate tissue and landmarks.
What is a rule of thumb for deciding to suture a wound?
Wound should be 3 times as long as it is wide.
How would you suture a wound which penetrates multiple tissue layers?
Suture each layer from deep to superficial.
Note: The more sutures used leads to a higher chance of infection.
When do you know to close a wound?
Fresh wounds which are hours old or open
Wounds over cartilage or bone
To reduce scarring or bleeding
Wounds which have been debrided surgically
When do you know to not close a wound?
Old or infected wounds
abscesses which have been drained
wounds which have already been repaired
wounds with foreign bodies inside
How do you put the least tension on a sutured wound?
Close the wound parallel to langer’s lines
What is undercutting used for?
To approximate wide lacerations. Typically undermine the skin 2/3 the width.
How do you repair v-shaped or x-shaped skin flaps?
With a horizontal suture which is below the apex.
