Question about "dissoving stitches" - anyone know?

Specialties Med-Surg

Published

Hey all,

Thanks for any light you can shed on this subject for me...I'm so in the dark *lol*

I had a lumpectomy done last thursday, the incision is about 2 1/2 inches long. When I left surgical day care, they told me to leave the "outer dressing" (mepore) on for about 3 days, then remove the steri-strips after a week...the stitches will dissolve on their own.

So I'm a week post-op, and removed said steri-strips tonight. I can see some tea coloured slough, but no stitches. The edges of the wound are folded into one another, so I'm wondering if there are some stitches in there that I can't see...if they have already dissolved and came off with the steri-strips...or if there were none ever there.

Thanks again :-)

Lys

Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

Either they have already dissolved OR they were internal and the outer edges were closed using surgical glue to lessen your scars.

Specializes in Nursing Education.
Hey all,

Thanks for any light you can shed on this subject for me...I'm so in the dark *lol*

I had a lumpectomy done last thursday, the incision is about 2 1/2 inches long. When I left surgical day care, they told me to leave the "outer dressing" (mepore) on for about 3 days, then remove the steri-strips after a week...the stitches will dissolve on their own.

So I'm a week post-op, and removed said steri-strips tonight. I can see some tea coloured slough, but no stitches. The edges of the wound are folded into one another, so I'm wondering if there are some stitches in there that I can't see...if they have already dissolved and came off with the steri-strips...or if there were none ever there.

Thanks again :-)

Lys

The drainage should be excessive and if so, would merit a call to the physician. Remember to keep an eye out for infection.

Thanks to both of you :-)

It does look like there were some there (likely internal like you said Karo) cuz there are indents at a couple of intervals *lol*

On the drainage front, there really was none...I was impressed. There was one small spot of blood on the mepore when I removed it, and some dried stuff on the steristrips...but no drainage!!

Thanks again :-)

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