Solutions for Difficult Problems: Part 4: Pediatric Nail Bed Laceration Basics

​How do you go about choosing your suture thread? Absorbable sutures may include polyglycolic acid, chromic catgut, or glycerol-impregnated catgut. Non-absorbable sutures are typically made of silk, Prolene, or nylon. Suture materials may be synthetic or natural, and they can be mono- or multifilament. Sutures may also be braided, unbraided, or coated. Sizes of suture materials also vary greatly. A 3.0-sized thread is a lot bigger than a 6.0-sized thread, for example.​Keep these key principles in mind: The time it takes for the thread to be absorbed is dependent on the tissue type and thickness, the size and type of the thread, the condition of the patient, and the absorption half-life of the product. Many online guides can help you learn more. Some sutures will be absorbed in five to seven days; some may take more than 200 days to disappear completely.Vicryl Rapide vs. VicrylVicryl Rapide and Vicryl are absorbable sutures and are potential choices for repairing nail bed lacerations. Vicryl Rapide is a new and improved form of Vicryl, and may be more commonly used. Vicryl Rapide absorbs more quickly than other absorbable sutures, including Vicryl. Vicryl Rapide typically is completely absorbed after 42 days.The most important thing to know is that after five days, Vicryl Rapide becomes 50 percent weaker than it was when you first put it in. No traction is left at all by day 14. Take this into consideration when you are assessing the wound. This is enough time for a pe...
Source: The Procedural Pause - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs