Last Updated on June 21, 2024 by ClinicNearMe
Human life is full of unexpected events, and we don’t know what is going to happen the next moment. Sometimes, our loved ones get injured and need serious medical attention. Say your friend is hit by a bike or falls from stairs and has a wound that needs stitches. Are you anxious and thinking ‘how to stitch a wound’? In this situation, it is far better to seek a medical doctor to help us put stitches on the wound and close it.
The first thing is to recognize if the wound needs stitches or can be cured without the sutures. Most of the time, people get minor injuries, and the cuts, with little care (by putting in Antibiotic ointments), start healing themselves. But if the wound is serious and needs sutures to hold the tissues tightly together for smooth healing. In this case, you need a medical expert who puts stitches correctly and helps to speed up the healing process.
The purpose of this blog is to provide the best possible information regarding the procedure of stitches. And what signs indicate that your wound needs stitches and the precautions after stitching.
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What Signs Indicate That The Wound Needs Stitches?
Some cuts need little attention, and they can be cured through the natural healing process of the human body. In some cases, however, you may need stitches after your cut is severe and your doctor has examined it.
These are some indications if your wound needs stitches. If the cut is deep, bleeds continuously, feeling numbness, then your injury requires sutures. You may also need stitches when you feel your body part is not acting normally after getting a wound.
What Is Stitching?
If you get a deep cut and it is continuously bleeding, then all you require at that time is stitchings. In medical terms, the alternative word used for stitches is sutures. Stitches or sutures, in simple wording, are sterile surgical threads used to cure deep or large cuts.
Stitches treat deep wounds to stop bleeding and prevent further infections. Different types of sutures or stitches are used to treat various medical emergencies.
There are different kinds of sutures that you can encounter in your life for various medical conditions. Gut sutures, polyglactin, PDS, and poliglecaprone are different types of sutures used in multiple medical situations.
People often need clarification about how to give stitches to a wound without any trouble correctly. Some people also ask if we can stitch wounds ourselves or how to do stitches at home. The answer is it is better to seek professional medical help in order to avoid further infections.
Steps Involved In The Process Of Stitching/sutures:
Step 1. Cleanse The Wound
First, assess the wound’s position and clean the blood with warm water around the cut. It is better to use a medicated soap to avoid irritation and infection. Cleaning the wound is a very simple and painless procedure most of the time.
Step 2. Tools Required For The Stitching Procedure
For a successful suturing process, several pieces of equipment are required. Make sure of the availability of these tools before starting the stitching procedure.
Tools needed for the stitching are;
- Medical Gloves
- Sterile surgical drapes
- Gauze
- Sterilized Needle
- Thread
- Needle driver/holder
- Saline that is used for cleaning
- Scissors
- Local Anesthesia
- Suitable Lightening in the room
Step 3. Disinfect Or Sanitize The Suturing Equipment
Sanitization of the tools used to assist the suturing procedure is primarily important. Disinfection of the equipment before the suturing will remove the germs from the tools that are hazardous to human health. This will also prevent the patient from further infections or diseases.
Step 4. How To Stitch Up A Wound
There are multiple steps involved in the process of stitching up a wound. These steps are;
- Wash your hands properly
- Examine the wound
- Clean the blood around the wound
- Make possible the availability of a stitching kit.
- Hold the tools with a tight hand.
- Approximately one cm to the right of the wound, insert the needle at a 90-degree angle.
- After inserting the needle, twist your hand clockwise so the needle starts coming out from the other side of the wound.
- Ensure the thread is tightened enough to close the wound and the knot is flat.
- Then wrap the long end of the thread around the needle holder.
- Hold the short end of the thread by opening the needle holder and pulling the long end of the thread. After doing this, you will end up with a stitching knot. Repeat this process to make a secure knot and cut the extra thread.
- Repeat this process until you end with the stitching of the wound properly.
- Stitch the wound in this way so that all the knots are on the same side.
The Importance Of Taking Precautions After Stitching
It is very important to take post-procedure precautions to avoid further trouble after stitching, Keeping the wound clean and dry for the first 48 hours after suturing is important. A patient needs to monitor the healing process of their wound. Use the prescribed ointment regularly, which helps to speed the healing process. If there is any indication of the infection or trouble, seek a medical professional on an urgent basis.
Final Verdict
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, it is very important to get the correct treatment. Also, treatment should be received from someone highly skilled in that area. Stitches or sutures are beneficial when you get a deep wound or a gap produced between the skin. Take care of the wound after getting the stitches. Keep the wound clean and dry. Listen and act carefully according to the precautions described by the doctor after the treatment.
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