What are dissolvable stitches?
For centuries, dentists and oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, obstetricians, urologists and even veterinarians have used stitches to close up gashes, cuts and surgical incisions. Now, many physicians are using some form of dissolvable stitches (also called absorbable sutures). The great thing about dissolvable stitches is that they can be used on internal or external wounds. Stitches, dissolvable or non-dissolvable, have three features: • Thickness – Some stitches must be thin (perhaps for a simple cut or plastic surgery, or a wound that needs to heal with less scarring), and others thicker (perhaps for internal wounds where scarring isn’t as worrisome, or so the stitch will last longer). To make a thicker stitch, more of the material is woven together. For a thinner stitch, less material is woven together. • Elasticity – Stitches on your knee need to be more elastic than those on your forearm, because your knee must be able to bend. Without proper elasticity, the stitches can snap and
