Needles and Sutures Technology

Reconstruction and cosmetic surgery are the most common surgery procedures around the globe. US cosmetic procedure involves both surgical and non-surgical optionsthat enhance and reshape body structures to improve confidence and appearance. Healthy people with a positive outlook or realistic expectations are the perfect candidates for the procedure. Cosmetic surgery is a personal choice and is not done to satisfy anyone else’s expectations. This procedure is elective and typically not covered by health insurance.

Reconstruction surgery on the other hand is a procedure that is performed to repair damaged tissue or scar obtained before birth or after an accident. The procedure’s main goal is to repair the tissue for perfect appearance.

Needles and Sutures used in plastic or reconstruction surgery

The main goal of suturing during reconstruction and plastic surgery is to close the wound. Suturing usually estimates the wound edges so that the tissue can close with a final scar that is aesthetic and functional. The suturing techniques, needles, and sutures used during any type of surgery determine the final outcome. Your doctor should have a clear understanding of wound healing and its tensile strength, and how a wound closes to help perform skin approximation and surgery suturing techniques and materials.

Sutures

There are many types of sutures varying in size, material, and strength. Types of sutures can be subdivided into permanent and absorbable sutures.

Permanent Sutures

  • Permanent sutures are stitches that cannot be dissolved by the body. They can be removed by a plastic/reconstructive surgeon or stay in place forever. The advantages of these sutures are:
  • They can be removed easily since they don’t integrate with the tissues
  • They are less reactive and causes minimal soreness and inflammation
  • They have a greater tensile strength

Examples of permanent sutures include:

  •     Prolene
  •      Metal wire
  •         Nylon
  •         Nurolon

Absorbable Sutures

They are sutures that are designed to be dissolved by the body. Different types of these sutures have different rates of dissolution meaning that they lose strength with time and at a predictable rate. These sutures are made from organic materials that can be destroyed by the body easily. These sutures are placed on tissue locations where short-term strength is needed and where the function of the sutures can be taken by a neutral scar. Your body usually mounts an inflammatory response to help dissolve the sutures.

Some absorbable sutures used in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery include:
  • Silk- It is a very long lasting stitch material
  • Catgut- This is made from sheep intestine. It is not strong and absorbs quickly
  • Chromic catgut- They are catgut sutures treated with chromium to increase their strength and durability.
  • Vicryl- This is a polysaccharide stitch that can last for about 3 months
  •  Monocryl or PDS- It is another cross-linked polysaccharide that can as well last for long.


Sutures Thickness

Suturing materials are made in different diameters and with different needle models. They are numbered as 2, 1, 0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, etc.Sutures which are smaller than #0 are considered to have a -0 at the end.
The thinner the suture the larger the number!

When Suture Thickness is considered

Your surgeon will always know which suture to use during reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. This is based on the training and experience. For example:
  • A#1 is a thick suture used to join abdominal muscles after an abdomioplasty
  • A 6-0 is a thin suture used to close delicate wounds or cuts
  • A 4-0 has a thickness of a normal thread and is used to close cuts on hands and legs since the have more strength.
  •  A 10- 0 is very thin suture used in plastic microsurgery operations.


Needle

Needle is another tool used during cosmetic and construction surgery. Selecting the best needle during any surgical procedure can lead to a preventable trauma and facilitate the healing process. The type of surgery also depends on the depth of the wound, tools available and surgeon and physician fee.

The best quality needle is usually made of pure stainless steel and also made as slim as possible without looking at stability, and strength. The needle should be sharp enough to penetrate the tissue during suturing. The needle also should be sterile, corrosion-resistant, and rigid enough to avoid breakage.

Needle Types

There are 2 types of needles based on the stitching ends. They include eyed and eyeless needles.

Eyed

They are needles that have a hole at the suturing end. They need to be threaded with a stitching material before stitching.

Eyeless

They are needles that have a suture crimped within the needle. This needle is considered better than an eyed one.

Needle Curvature

Straight needle- They are used when suturing an accessible tissue. They are designed to be used by hand and with no aiding instruments. They are best in plastic or microsurgical procedures.
¼ Circle- Has a swallow curvature and is used to stitch easily accessible tissues. Can be used in cosmetic surgery.

Half-curved needle- It is mainly used in laparoscopic surgery.

½ Circle- It is a needle used in confined positions. Requires supination and pronation of wrists during the operation.

3/8 Circle- This is the most commonly used needle. Its curvature makes it easier to manipulate large wounds during reconstruction surgery. Can be used in deep cavities due to its large arc of manipulation.

5/8 Circle- It is needle required for stitching in confined locations. It is used by rotating the wrist with little to no lateral movements.

Needle Point and Body
There are needles with round bodies which have either blunt or sharp points. Needles with round ends are able to penetrate the tissue and spread it with minimal cutting. They are used in reconstruction surgery of tissues such as abdominal viscera and peritoneum.

Blunt round needles are used to dissect through delicate tissues such as kidney and liver.

 There are also needles with triangular shaped bodies referred to as cutting needles. Each edge of the triangle is a cutting edge. They are mainly used to cut through tough tissues.

Different types of needles come with varying weights and length.
Location: New York, NY, USA

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