How stitches are used in surgery

After an operation, stitches can close an incision, reconnect separated tissue, or help control bleeding. Deeper layers may be closed first so the repair has support beneath the skin, while surface stitches help align the edges. Some sutures dissolve as healing progresses; others stay in place until a clinician checks the incision and removes them. A small ridge, tight feeling, or thread at the surface can be part of normal early healing.

Use the dressing and washing instructions supplied by your surgical team. Clean your hands before touching the area, keep clothing from rubbing the thread, and avoid stretching the incision with strenuous activity until you are cleared. Do not tug, trim, or remove a suture, even if it becomes visible. Take prescribed medicines as directed and attend follow-up so the wound can be checked and removable stitches can be taken out at the appropriate review.

Report increasing redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness, cloudy drainage, unpleasant smell, or separation of the wound edges. Seek urgent care for bleeding that does not settle with firm pressure, sudden opening of the incision, severe pain, new weakness or numbness, or fever with a worsening wound. The urgency can depend on the operation and body area, so mention the procedure when you call.

Ask what the stitches are supporting, whether they dissolve, what wound changes are expected, when normal activity can resume, and who to contact outside clinic hours.