How to Remove Stitches

How to remove stitches is also one of the skills that must be mastered by the doctor as well as surgical nurses. Patients who are stitched using non-absorbable yarn must be performed removal of stitches because the yarn is not automatically absorbed by the body. Stitching done using absorbable yarn should not be removed because the thread is absorbed by the body.

How to remove stitches this wound in practice is easy, but the principle of sterility must be observed so that the scar is not even become infected because of dirty tools.

How to remove stitches can be learned by the layman as long as it is done carefully and also pay attention to the principle of sterility earlier.

General Purpose.

Lifting or removing of stitch threads on sewing wounds. The point is to prevent the infection and the dwelling of threads.

Operations are conducted on:

• The wound of surgery that time for suture removal.
• Postoperative wounds that have been healed.
• Wound infection by the stitches.

Read also: Slow wound healing causes.

Stitches will usually dry out within a few days to weeks depending on the location of the stitches, the nutrients during healing, hygiene, endurance, etc.

The wound is stitched using sewing threads. There are 2 types of sewing thread, namely absorbable (can be absorbed body / into flesh) and non absorbable (not absorbed by the body and require the action of removing stitches/ hecting up).

Selection of sewing threads adapted to the sewn tissues, position and condition of wound stitching, aesthetic, etc. For example, appendectomy is performed in a sewing with absorbable yarn and skin sewing with non-absorbable yarn.

If the yarn used is non absorbable then it should be done removal/revocation of stitches. 

How to Remove Stitches

How to Remove Wound Stitches.

Although it is better to remove your wound stitches in a clinic or by a physician, it is not always practical. If the estimated healing time has passed and your wound seems to be fully closed, you may want to remove the stitches yourself.

Note: Actually, the removal of these stitches must be done by the medical personnel and done in a sterile and aseptic. The patient should not remove the seams themselves because if the removal of the stitches is not sterile and not with medical devices will be at risk of infection, scarring, etc.

Here’s how to do it safely.

1. Sit in a place with adequate lighting.
2. Lift the first node. Use tweezers to draw soft the first stitch knot on the surface of your skin.
3. Cut stitches. Holding the knot over your skin, use your other hand to trim and cut the stitches beside the knot.
4. Pull the yarn. Use tweezers to keep lifting the knot and gently pull the yarn out through your skin. You will probably feel a slight strain on your skin, but it shouldn’t hurt.
5. Keep Lifting the stitches. Use a tweezers to remove the knot, then cut it with scissors. Pull the yarn out and discard. Continue until the whole stitch is detached.
6. Clean the wound. Make sure there is no residue left on the wound area. If you wish, you can bind the wound with a sterile bandage for further healing.

How to remove stitches by a nurse

Preparation.

Client preparation.

• Check client’s nursing planning.
• The client is given an explanation of the procedure to be performed.

Preparation Tool.

• Set lift sterile.
• Round cotton / cotton stick.
• Crooked.
• Scissors and plaster.
• Alco**hol 70% / gasoline wash.
• Dirty wrap bag.
• Gauze / Tufer in the drum.
• Betadine 10%.

Implementation.

• Nurse wash hands.
• Set the client’s position as needed.
• Put the lifting of stitches set near the client or in an area that is easy to reach.
• Open a set of sterile lifting stitches.
• Open the bandage carefully and the bandage is inserted into the dirty bandage bag, the plaster marks are cleaned with gasoline cotton.
• Disinfect around the surgical wound with 70% alco**hol cotton and smear the surgical wound with a 10% betadine.
• Remove stitches One by one interval, by:
  • Clamp the stitch knot with the anatomical tweezers and drawn slightly upwards, then cut the yarn under the adjacent vertex with the skin or on the other side that is not knotted.
• Smearing the wound and surrounding with Betadine.
• Close the wound with dried gauze and plastered.
• Tidy up the clients and tools are cleared.
• Nurse wash hands.
• Watch and record client reactions after taking action.