suture: Definition from Answers.com Mobile

suture

1. the line of union of adjoining bones of the skull. See also sutura.
2. the linear union of fibers from the equator of the lens, meeting on the anterior and posterior surfaces. May be the location of metabolic cataracts.
3. a stitch or series of stitches made to secure apposition of the edges of a surgical or traumatic wound (see suture pattern below); used also as a verb to indicate application of such stitches.
4. material used in closing a wound with stitches.

Tendon sutures. By permission from Fossum TW, Small Animal Surgery, Mosby, 2001

absorbable s. (4) — a strand of organic or synthetic material used for closing wounds, which becomes dissolved in the body fluids and disappears, such as catgut and tendon or polydioxanone.
apposition s. (3) — a superficial suture used for exact approximation of the cutaneous edges of a wound.
approximation s. (3) — a deep suture for securing apposition of the deep tissue of a wound.
automatic ridge suture — see mattress suture pattern.
braided s. (4) — thin filaments braided into a single suture; has the virtues of strength, flexibility, ease of handling and good knot security.
Bunnell s. (3) — see bunnell suture pattern.
buried s. (3) — one placed deep in the tissues and concealed by the skin.
Caslick s. (3) — see caslick operation.
catgut s. (4) — see catgut.
Chinese finger cuff s. (3) — a method of securing a thoracostomy tube to the thoracic wall in which the suture is placed deeply into the skin and underlying tissue and the ends are wrapped around the protruding tube in a spiral pattern (‘Chinese finger cuff’) and tied.
circular s. (3) — one applied around the circumference of a hollow viscus to close it, or to a portion of the wall to bring about inversion of the wall.
cobbler's s. (3) — one made with suture material threaded through a needle at each end.
Connell s. (3) — see connell suture pattern.
continuous s. (3) — one in which a continuous, uninterrupted length of material is used. Called also whip stitch.
continuous lock s. (3) — see lock-stitch suture pattern.
coronal s. (1) — the line of union between the frontal bone and the parietal bones.
cotton s. (4) — a multifilament suture used mainly for closure of skin.
cranial s. (1) — the lines of junction between the bones of the skull.
cruciate s. (3) — see cruciate suture pattern.
Cushing s. (3) — see cushing suture pattern.
Czerny s. (3) — see czerny suture.
Czerny–Lembert s. (3) — see czerny–lembert suture.
false s. (1) — a line of junction between apposed surfaces without a serrated union of the bones.
far–near–far s. (3) — see near–far–far–near suture pattern.
far–near–near–far s. (3) — used on tendons, the first bite is made farthest from the severed end, across the gap and emerging close to the severed edge of the distal end. The second bite is close to the end of the proximal segment, crosses the gap and emerges farther from the end of the distal segment.
figure-eight s. (3) — a row of surgical pins are placed through both edges of the wound and suture material is wound back and forth around each pin, as with a shoelace.
four stitch interrupted s. (3) — see mattress suture pattern.
furrier's s. (3) — simple continuous suture.
Gambee s. (3) — see gambee suture pattern.
Gély's s. (3) — see gély's suture pattern.
Goetze's s. (3) — see goetze's suture pattern.
Halsted s. (3) — see halsted suture pattern.
interrupted s. (3) — one in which each stitch is made with a separate piece of material.
intradermal s. (3) — one placed in the lower dermis; a buried suture. May be interrupted or continuous.
intracutaneous s. (3) — one totally within the substance of the skin, not emerging externally and not into the subcutaneous tissues. See also intradermal suture (above).
inverting s. (3) — one that turns the edges of the incision inward so the exposed surfaces, usually serosa, contact each other and the edges of the incision are buried. Used in closure of hollow viscera such as the stomach, uterus, intestine or visceral stumps. Includes the Connell, Cushing, Halsted, Lembert and Parker–Kerr suture patterns.
Kessler s. — see locking-loop suture (below).
lambdoid s. (1) — the line of union between the upper borders of the occipital and parietal bones, shaped like the Greek letter lambda; called also sutura lambdoides.
Lembert s. (3) — see lembert suture pattern.
locking-loop s. — a tension suture used for apposition of severed tendon ends.
McLean s. (3) — see mclean suture pattern.
mattress s. (3) — see mattress suture pattern.
Mersilene s. (4) — an uncoated polyester suture material.
metal s. (4) — stainless steel is used universally. There are also special metal devices including Michel clips and skin staples and staples for intestinal repair.
near–far–far–near s. (3) — see near–far–far–near suture pattern.
non-absorbable s. (4) — includes silk, steel, polyester, polymerized caprolactam, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon and cotton.
nylon s. (4) — may be braided or monofilament.
Parker–Kerr s. (3) — see parker–kerr suture pattern.
s. pattern (3) — the placement of suture material, usually designed to achieve a particular purpose in relation to the tissue, organ or surgical procedure being performed, e.g. inversion or eversion of wound edges, relief of tension on the wound, or cosmetic results.
Types of suture patterns: (A) simple interrupted, (B) subcuticular, (C) simple continuous. By permission from Slatter D, Textbook of Small Animal Surgery, Saunders, 2002
s. pin (4) — sharp-pointed pins that can be pushed through tissue, e.g. vulval lips, and secured at both ends by knobs so that they stay in situ.
pull-out s. (3) — see pull-out suture pattern.
purse-string s. (3) — a type of suture commonly used to bury the stump of the appendix, a continuous running suture being placed about the opening, and then drawn tight.
relaxation s. (3) — any suture so formed that it may be loosened to relieve tension as necessary.
retention s. (3) — used in the replacement of vaginal and uterine prolapse in cattle. Usually thick, heavy suture material, sometimes tape, is placed through adjacent tissues.
round-wound s. (3) — used for tension relief, it consists of surgical pins placed through both sides of the wound and suture material wound around the protruding ends and across the incision.
safety s. (3) — used in the surgical correction of patent ductus arteriosus, particularly in small dogs, to ensure that any slippage of ligatures or tissue will not result in excessive blood loss before being controlled by other means.
sagittal s. (1) — the line of union of the two parietal bones, dividing the skull anteroposteriorly into two symmetrical halves; called also sutura sagittalis.
silk s. (4) — braided silk is used as a nonabsorbable suture. It may be coated with wax or silicone to reduce its absorption of fluids. Its great advantages are its ease of handling and good knot-holding quality.
squamous s. (1) — a suture where the uniting bones overlap such as the suture between the pars squamosa of the temporal bone and parietal bone.
stainless steel s. (4) — see wire suture (below).
stent s. (3) — a tension suture for closing wounds created by placing a roll of bandage along the line of incision and tying the sutures over the top of it.
Stent suture pattern. By permission from Slatter D, Textbook of Small Animal Surgery, Saunders, 2002
subcuticular s. (3), subcutaneous s. — a method of skin closure involving placement of stitches in the subcuticular tissues parallel with the line of the wound.
tension s. (3) — one placed to relieve tension on the incision; may be the same suture pattern that closes the incision or a separate suture or line of sutures of a different pattern.
three-loop pulley s. (3) — a complicated suture pattern used on tendons.
U-s. — see mattress suture pattern.
vest-over-pants s. (3) — see vest-over-pants suture pattern.
walking s. (3) — a pattern of interrupted sutures used in closing large skin wounds. Each suture is placed first in the deep dermis and then into the deeper tissues, usually fascia, at a point closer to the center of the wound. The effect is to move the skin closer to the closing position with each suture, obliterate dead space, and relieve tension on the sutures eventually placed to close the wound edges.
wire s. (4) — stainless steel wire used as suture material as monofilament or braided. Problems are kinking, bulk knots, tearing of tissues and the need for special cutting instruments.
Zimmerman's aluminum wire s. (3) — a technique used for tension support. The stitches are placed with a cannula and ends are rolled instead of being tied.