Laceration Repair and Sutures – A cheat sheet guide
Laceration Repair and Sutures – A cheat sheet guide
| SUTURE TYPE | Time of Effective Tensile Strength | Time to Absorption | Reactivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prolene | indefinite | non absorbable | low |
| Nylon | gradual loss | non absorbable | low |
| Silk | gradual loss | non absorbable | high |
| Fast absorbing gut | 7 days | 21-42 days | high |
| Vicryl Rapide | 5-14 days | 42 days | high |
| Monocryl | 7-14 days | 91-119 days | high |
| Vicryl | 14-28 days | 56-70 days | high |
| Chromic Gut | 21-28 days | 90 days | high |
| LOCATION | CONCERN | TREATMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Eyelid margin | Requires careful approximation | Ophthalmology consult for repair |
| Medial canthus of eye | Lacrimal duct location | Ophthalmology consult for repair |
| Vermillion border of lip | Requires careful approximation | Consider consulting Oral Maxillofacial Surgery or Plastics |
| Mammalian bites | Risk for infection, especially of the hands: Human > Cat > Dog | Antibiotics: Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Cochrane: Antibiotics not warranted for uncomplicated dog bites to non-hand areas of the body [1].) Do not close wounds, especially if puncture-like. |
References
- Medeiros I, Saconato H. Antibiotic prophylaxis for mammalian bites. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;(2):CD001738. [PubMed]
- Capella O, Hollander JE. Management of lacerations in the emergency department. Emerg Med Clin N Am. 2003; 21:205-231. [PubMed]
- DeBoard RH, Rondeau DF, Kang CS, Sabbaj A, McManus JG. Principles of basic wound evaluation and management in the emergency department. Emerg Med Clin N Am. 2007; 25:23-39. [PubMed]
- Lammers RL, Smith ZE. Methods of wound closure. In: Roberts and Hedges’ Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine, 6th Ed. Saunders. 2013. 644-689.
