What Is a Surgical Suture?
A surgical suture is the material used to hold a wound or cut together until it heals. Suturing is the act of stitching or sewing the wound using suture materials such as thread or a surgical staple. The area that requires a suture may be the result of injuries or surgery, and the style of suture used depends on where in the body the surgical suture is needed. Some of the most common types of sutures include running sutures, barbed sutures, and mattress sutures. A running surgical suture, which is also referred to as a continuous stitch suture, uses only one long strand of suture thread. The needle is run down through the edge of the tissue and up the other side. There is no break in the sutures and the physician stitches the entire wound closed with one thread. This type of surgical suture is most often used in areas of the body where the tissue is easily reached, such as along the shin or where scarring from other forms of suturing that use knots would be unsightly.
