Is it possible to smear a postoperative suture? Wound healing after surgery, medications, nutrition rules

One stitch, two stitches, it will be fun! - the obstetrician said with a needle at the feet of the happy woman in labor. For some, this black humor becomes an unfunny reality and causes a lot of trouble and trouble. We'll talk about situations that inspire obstetricians to take up the needle, ways to quickly heal and relieve pain.

When to apply stitches and causes of ruptures

Childbirth does not always go smoothly, and sometimes you have to pay for the happiness of having children with birth injuries - tears and cuts in the genital tract, which are covered with external and internal sutures after childbirth. Injuries can be internal - ruptures in the cervix and vagina, and external - ruptures and cuts in the perineum.

After a natural birth, the obstetrician must check for ruptures and, if detected, they are sutured. Otherwise, if suturing is not carried out, the postpartum period threatens to end in a hospital bed due to bleeding in the injured tissues and the addition of infection to them, and in the future even provoke prolapse of internal organs and urinary and fecal incontinence.

The process of applying external and internal sutures takes a long time and requires high qualifications of the doctor, and in the case of ruptures in the cervix that extend to the vagina and uterus, and some virtuosity due to the inaccessibility and danger of damage to the nearby bladder and ureters.

Internal sutures after childbirth on the cervix, vagina and uterus itself are applied using absorbable threads made of biological or semi-synthetic material. If only the cervix is ​​affected, then anesthesia is usually not required - after childbirth it is insensitive. In all other cases, local or general anesthesia is used - anesthesia or epidural anesthesia.

The muscle layers in case of ruptures and cuts of the perineum are also sutured with absorbable threads, and the skin is often made of non-absorbable silk, nylon and other materials, which are removed in the maternity hospital or in the antenatal clinic, usually 3-7 days after childbirth, when the suture is scarred.

The reasons for ruptures can be different. This includes not following the advice of the obstetrician during the pushing period, and the presence of scars from sutures placed in previous births (the scar consists of inelastic connective tissue), rapid, prolonged, premature and instrumental births (application of forceps), anatomical features of the pelvic structure, a large head in a child, breech presentation, low skin elasticity at the time of birth.

How long does it take for a scar to heal after a cesarean section?

Obstetricians have different attitudes toward episiotomy—dissection of the perineum. For some, this is a routine procedure that is performed en masse to avoid the risk of perineal rupture. Other doctors strive for the most natural course of the birth process, intervening when it is already quite obvious that a rupture cannot be avoided. If instrumental delivery is performed with forceps or a vacuum extractor, then preliminary dissection of the perineum is recommended.

Episiotomy does not help prevent third-degree tears when the anal sphincter is involved in the violation of the perineal integrity and may even contribute to such injury. Still, surgical dissection has a number of advantages over rupture. Dissected tissues are technically easier to repair than torn ones. The resulting wound has smooth edges, healing occurs faster and a more aesthetic scar is formed.

Healing and treatment of sutures

As unfortunate as it may be, what happened happened, and as a result, after giving birth, you were given stitches. With internal sutures, if the suturing procedure is performed correctly and carefully, the pain lasts for about 2 days. They do not require special care and do not need to be removed, since they are made of absorbable thread.

Self-absorbing sutures after childbirth made from natural material - catgut - completely dissolve in about a month, and from synthetic ones - after 2-3 months. Internal ones heal faster and can diverge in extremely rare and exceptional cases.

The outer crotch seams are a completely different matter. With such a postpartum reward, it’s painful to move, it’s difficult to go to the toilet, and you can’t sit down at all because the stitches can come apart.

The ban on sitting remains in effect for two weeks, after which you can gradually try to sit on hard surfaces.

If catgut sutures were placed on the perineum, then do not be alarmed if after a week pieces of threads appear that have fallen off - during this period the material loses its strength and breaks. The seams will no longer come apart, unless, of course, you start dancing. How long it will take for the material to dissolve depends on the speed of metabolic processes in the body. Sometimes there are cases when the catgut does not dissolve even six months after suturing.

Can women take oscillococcinum while breastfeeding?

Non-absorbable thread sutures from the perineum are removed 3–7 days after birth. If this was not done in the maternity hospital, then the sutures are removed by a gynecologist in the antenatal clinic. During the removal procedure itself, it is a little unpleasant, but in most cases it does not hurt, or the pain is quite tolerable.

How long it takes for sutures to heal after childbirth is influenced by the individual healing rate of damage received by the body - both from minor scratches and from more serious injuries.

Usually this process does not take more than a month, but on average is 2 weeks.

Both before and after removal of sutures, it is necessary to regularly treat them. This is especially important, since postpartum discharge and the constantly moist environment of the perineum contribute to the proliferation of various microorganisms on the wound surface. As a result, the sutures may fester and healing will be delayed indefinitely.

How and with what to treat stitches after childbirth at home? Just like in the maternity hospital, you need to treat two to three times a day with antiseptic solutions and/or antibacterial ointments that suppress the uncontrolled growth of inflammation-causing bacilli. The most accessible means are the well-known brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, chlorhexidine, etc. Ointments include levomekol and others. Treatment should be carried out avoiding a sitting position.

If you provide air access to the perineum, healing will go much faster. To do this, you need to use “breathable” pads made from natural materials and refrain from wearing tight underwear. The ideal option is to provide “ventilation” during sleep, when you can completely abandon underwear and sleep on a special absorbent diaper, or an oilcloth with a regular fabric diaper.

To accelerate regeneration, adequate nutrition is also necessary, supplying building material to the site of injury. Among the folk remedies, tea tree oil and sea buckthorn oil accelerate healing. And of course, hygiene rules and maintaining cleanliness are welcome on the path to rapid healing.

Causes of various seals on the seam after cesarean section

How to relieve pain

During the healing process of the sutures, tissue contraction occurs - the wound surfaces contract and the wound is closed with a scar. Therefore, it is quite normal that the sutures hurt after childbirth, like any other injuries that violate the integrity of muscle and epithelial tissue. Discomfort – Pain and itching in the perineum may be experienced up to 6 weeks after birth.

If the pain is of a different nature, and even more so when the sutures begin to fester, you need to consult a doctor.

If the pain is severe, which happens in the first days after childbirth, then applying cold to the perineum and painkillers can help cope with it. In the maternity hospital they give injections, at home you can take ibuprofen (Nurofen), which is not contraindicated during breastfeeding and has an anti-inflammatory effect. To feel less pain when urinating, you can try urinating while standing in the bathroom with your legs apart.

What to do if the seams come apart

It is rare, but it happens that the seams partially or completely come apart. This can happen due to heavy lifting, early onset of sexual relations after childbirth, sudden sitting down and other awkward sudden movements, increased pressure on the genitals due to constipation.

Ointment for healing sutures and wounds after surgery is used only as prescribed by a doctor. Surgical wounds are divided into 2 groups. Clean sutures occur in healthy people who have received an accidental injury. To suppress the microflora on the surface of the injury, it is enough for them to use antiseptic liquids.

A surgical postoperative suture left after a planned operation to remove diseased tissue may rot. Tissue healing in the postoperative period is delayed due to existing chronic intoxication resulting from hormonal or metabolic changes and long-term use of medications. Then the question arises of how to treat and how to treat the sutures after surgery in order to suppress pyogenic bacteria and speed up the regeneration processes.

What local remedies can be used for suppuration?

"Baneocin" is used in surgical practice as a local antibacterial agent. The drug contains neomycin and bacitracin, which suppress the growth of opportunistic microflora in different ways. The different capabilities of the two antibiotics make it possible to destroy all pathogenic microflora present on the surface of the wound. The product is active against Staphylococcus aureus, which has strains resistant to many antibiotics. This determines the great potential of the drug ointment in the fight against infection. It can be used to treat a wet seam with signs of inflammation several times. The product is used for 5 to 10 days, then discontinued, switching to lighter drugs.

Ointment for postoperative sutures "Stellanin PEG", containing diethylbenzimidazolium triiodide, has an antimicrobial effect, relieves inflammatory processes and significantly accelerates tissue regeneration. It is often used in surgery to treat weeping sutures. The active substance has serious contraindications. Before using it, you should consult a doctor for advice. He must say whether the sick person can use it.

This ointment is often used in surgical practice. It is applied in a thin layer to the seam, and a sterile gauze bandage is applied. The skin around the wounds is treated with a pharmaceutical form to suppress the proliferation of pyogenic bacteria. The duration of treatment with this remedy is up to 14 days.

Levomekol ointment for healing postoperative sutures can be used if there is purulent content. This drug is traditionally used by doctors to treat any infected wounds. It has no contraindications other than individual intolerance.

Eplan cream, which has the ability to shorten the duration of phases and increase the speed of regeneration processes, allows a surgical wound to heal faster. When applied to the area where there is suture material, swelling is relieved and the feeling of pain is reduced. It is recommended if bacteria, microorganisms and fungi have begun to multiply under the bandage.

All these ointments should be used on the recommendation of the attending physician, who should monitor the healing process and take timely measures if the wound festers.

How to apply sutures after surgery

If the doctor did not recommend an external remedy for speedy healing, then you can use Mumiyo ointment, which is often used to speed up regeneration processes. It accelerates scarring of postoperative sutures. An external remedy, which contains active components that stimulate collagen production, has antiseptic properties. The ointment suppresses the growth of opportunistic microflora and promotes rapid cleansing of pus from the wound. When using mumiyo externally and internally, the healing process of surgical wounds in older people is significantly accelerated.

The production of collagen is promoted by water-soluble ointment "Solcoseryl". This drug has good wound healing properties. The active component affects cell function and accelerates regeneration processes. Its effect has been poorly studied, but practical use has proven that the external agent improves all processes in the layers of the epidermis.

The external product “Stellanin” has the same characteristics as “Stellanin PEG”, but does not contain a moisturizing complex. It is used for the speedy healing of sutures that do not have liquid discharge.

Drugs that help accelerate regenerative processes include Kontraktubeks. This gel is used on clean, closed wounds. It is used to form an inconspicuous scar. The gel is applied several times a day to the seam and lightly rubbed into the skin.

Long-term use evens out the surface of the scar in relation to the healthy area of ​​the body and improves the elasticity of the epidermis. The gel softens rough fibers and reduces pain.

Means that stimulate healing include Calendula ointment. A few drops of tea tree oil and rosemary are added to its composition and used to treat sutures in older people during the healing period. The product has an antiseptic effect and prevents the proliferation of pathogenic microflora.

Why ointments don't help?

A patient who wants to recover faster needs to know that with age, the speed of all processes slows down and the healing time increases. If a practically healthy young person needs 3 weeks for a postoperative scar to form, then an elderly person may need 2 months. All this time, you need to keep the skin clean, maintaining the surface crust and making proper dressings.

The use of ointment for healing and resorption of postoperative sutures is an aid. For a sick person, it is more important to improve vitality and restore the function of the internal secretion organs. This can be done through normal nutrition and proper functioning of the digestive system. To improve it, it is recommended to take cold-pressed oils, mumiyo and honey, pollen, royal jelly, walnuts, which are natural stimulants of the endocrine system.

The internal secretion organs, having received the necessary substances for the production of hormones, will be able to launch the necessary processes that will improve the restoration of damaged cells. Only in this case will a sick person be able to recover after surgery.

The healing of a postoperative suture depends on the resistance of the skin itself and the general resistance of the body. Its healing by primary intention is not always successful, which is associated with microbial lysis of the skin flap and suppuration of the secondary suture.

Among the means for treating postoperative sutures, iodine and, tested hundreds of times, remain the most powerful. Thousands of remedies have been invented that are more expensive than them, but nothing more effective!

In order for a postoperative wound to heal well, you need patience, hygiene, compliance with the doctor’s recommendations, good rest and good nutrition.

It is necessary to treat the postoperative suture several times a day, especially carefully after taking a shower. You can wash yourself 7 days after surgery. When washing, do not touch the seam with a washcloth so as not to damage the healing scar. After a shower, the seam should be blotted with a bandage and treated with hydrogen peroxide. When the scar dries a little, you need to apply brilliant green directly to the seam.

The suture is treated until it heals completely. If the postoperative suture is dry and nothing is oozing from it, it does not need to be sealed. Such wounds heal much faster in air.

Sometimes it may have problem areas. If blood or fluid oozes from the postoperative scar, the bandage has shifted, or pain appears in the wound area, it is not recommended to treat the suture yourself. It is better if this is done by a qualified specialist. The presence of any discharge from a postoperative wound indicates that it has become infected, which can spread further, leading to negative consequences. These areas must be treated until the tissue is completely scarred. After removing the threads, the seam is processed for several more days.

When processing seams, do not use cotton wool. Its particles can remain on the seam and cause an inflammatory process. Therefore, when processing seams, it is necessary to use exclusively gauze wipes.

The wound should be treated with a skin antiseptic - brilliant green, alcohol, iodinol or iodoperone. It is best to use fucorcin or Castellani liquid - they are excellent for treating skin. Before caring for a postoperative suture at home, you should stock up on levomekol or sea buckthorn ointment. For prolonged wounds, ointments that contain panthenol are suitable. Sea buckthorn oil can be replaced with milk thistle oil. Both of these products promote the healing of scars and scars, but after treatment with milk thistle oil, the seams look neater.

Kontraktubes and Mederma ointments are used in the third month after the stitches have been removed.

When caring for a postoperative suture, if there is no discharge from it, you can use physiotherapeutic procedures - phonophoresis with special absorbable solutions. In this case, the sutures heal faster and form into barely noticeable scars. You can start physiotherapy 2-3 weeks after the stitches are removed.

After surgical interventions, scars remain on the body that persist for a long period. The speed of their healing depends on the characteristics of the individual’s body and the skill of the surgeon. When performed correctly, a cosmetic suture after abdominal surgery is almost invisible and causes minimal discomfort to the patient. At the same time, it is very important to properly care for the postoperative scar in order to prevent the development of complications.

Types of seams

After operations in the abdominal area, surgeons must connect the tissues, for which sutures are applied. Most often, the doctor performs this manipulation manually using special threads. There is a method of connecting tissues using a skin stapler using titanium staples and paper clips. Sometimes special linear or circular stitching devices are used. These methods are less popular due to the high cost of consumables and instruments, which cannot be said about conventional surgical needles and threads.

Sutures are usually separated based on the method of their application:

• continuous: - applied using one thread;
• knotted: several threads are used to make a seam, which are placed at a certain distance from each other;
• primary: designed to connect the edges of the wound for the purpose of healing;
• secondary: applied to strengthen primary sutures in case of divergence;
• ligature: used for ligation of vessels, which ensures their hemostasis.

Cosmetic stitches in the abdominal area provide a better appearance of the skin. They are almost invisible because very thin threads are used. When a regular suture is applied, aesthetically unattractive scars appear on the skin. The technique for joining tissues after surgery depends on the severity of the intervention performed and the patient’s condition. Seams are also divided into external and internal, which depends on the placement of the stitches.

Suture materials

Suture materials are made from high-quality raw materials and must be sufficiently smooth, elastic, durable and glide well. They have the ability not to swell under the influence of moisture and are characterized by low allergenicity.

Threads for suturing can be natural (silk, cotton) or synthetic, absorbable (catgut, biopolymers) and non-absorbable. They can be formed from one material or several, and have different coatings. The choice of a specific option depends on the type of surgery performed and the patient’s condition.

Stages of wound healing

Wound healing after surgery occurs in several successive stages:

1. Active phase of collagen formation. During this period, the wound will begin to heal due to the movement of fibroblasts to the site of damage. Gradually they bind to fibrillar structures with the help of fibronectin. The production of collagen provides additional strength to the resulting joint.
2. Epithelization. Accompanied by the movement of epithelial cells from the edges of the wound directly to its surface. After this process is completed, the injured area becomes protected from infection. This is observed several days after surgery.
3. Closing the wound and reducing its area. This effect is caused by the contraction of myofibroblasts.

3 months after the operation, the final tissue restructuring occurs. During this period, there is a redistribution of collagen and elastin fibers along the lines of maximum skin tension. As a result, the scar takes on the appearance of a thin light line that is almost invisible. The end of this phase occurs one year after the operation.

Treatment of the wound

Treatment of the postoperative suture for its rapid healing occurs in a hospital setting and at home after discharge. In the hospital, nurses take care of all the troubles. They periodically change the dressings, which prevent infection from entering the injured surface. Be sure to carry out antiseptic treatment of the wound. Stitches should also be removed in the hospital on days 5-8.

At home after discharge, the patient treats the wound independently. During the entire postoperative recovery period, a person must adhere to simple rules:

• You can only touch the seam with clean hands.
• When showering, the wound is carefully cleaned and soaked with a disposable paper towel.
• To prevent the suture from coming apart, lifting weights and straining the abdominal muscles is prohibited for several months after the operation.
• Avoid external influences on the scar. This can lead to its compaction and proliferation of connective tissue (a colloidal scar is formed).

If pain, suspicious discharge or other alarming symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor. If the suture does not heal well after abdominal surgery, consultation with a specialist is also required.

Antiseptic wound treatment at home

To speed up the healing process, it is necessary to regularly perform antiseptic treatment of the wound 2-3 times a day. To do this, use hydrogen peroxide, a solution of potassium permanganate, alcohol, and brilliant green. An increase in the rate of healing of the seam also occurs after the use of herbal products. These include tea tree oil, alcohol tincture of calendula, and chamomile infusion.

It is recommended to treat the wound using cotton swabs or a piece of bandage. In order for the damaged area to heal quickly and painlessly, it is necessary to provide an influx of fresh air. Therefore, the bandages are removed in the hospital and are not reapplied.

To quickly heal sutures, use ointments that have an antiseptic, protective and restorative effect. These include Bepanten cream, Levomekol, Contractubes. Such ointments can be used only after consultation with a doctor. They have different principles of action and, if used incorrectly, can increase healing time.

Wound healing time after surgery

Sutures left after laparoscopic interventions heal quickly - within a week. After abdominal surgery, this process takes longer – up to two weeks. The timing depends on certain internal and external factors. Some people have a more difficult time recovering from surgery. This may be affected by:

• elderly age;
• presence of obesity;
• lack of a varied diet, which creates nutritional deficiencies in the body;
• insufficient water consumption, which negatively affects all metabolic processes;
• presence of serious diseases.

The wound after surgery may hurt, ooze and take a long time to heal. This happens if it is not properly cared for or if an infection occurs. The duration and technique of treatment is determined only by the doctor.

Possible complications

If a person after abdominal surgery (caesarean section, removal of tumors for cancer or benign formations) is in pain for a long time, the body temperature rises, suppuration appears, the suture is diagnosed as infected. This is the most common complication after surgery. The wound may become wet and inflamed if not treated correctly. A similar complication develops when unsuitable materials are used to form sutures. Wound infection also occurs when the immune system is weakened, when the patient’s body is unable to fight the pathogenic bacteria surrounding it.

Dehiscence of sutures often occurs in elderly or weakened patients, if the recovery regime after the intervention is not followed. In such cases, repeated suturing is practiced. The edges of the wound are cut and new threads are applied to prevent infection. If the sutures come apart after the injured tissue has healed, there is no need to reapply them. The wound requires routine care and observation by doctors.

Many people, by choice or necessity, end up on the surgeon's table. After the procedure, it is necessary to pay considerable attention to the successful healing of postoperative sutures. Regardless of the complexity and location of the operation, the skin tissue is seriously damaged, therefore, first of all, you need to take care of their speedy healing.

It is important to prevent infections from entering the wound, which can trigger the onset of the inflammatory process. In such cases, medications come to the aid of patients, in particular ointments for the speedy healing of sutures after surgery.

Modern medicine has many techniques and technologies designed to increase the speed of healing of sutures after surgery. Some patients use laser, hardware restoration procedures, or resort to injections.

However, most people treat postoperative wounds outside the hospital walls - with creams and gels, since modern methods are quite expensive. You can buy a medical product in the form of an ointment without a prescription at a pharmacy and treat the wound in accordance with the instructions.

Different types of ointments are used depending on the degree of damage to the skin. To soften and quickly dissolve sutures after minor wounds, use regular creams, and for deeper injuries, use products that contain hormones. In addition to hormonal components, pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs also contain vitamins, mineral components, oil extracts and other active ingredients.

Any ointments that are used to heal sutures after surgery do not have any effect on the patient’s body, only on the skin. As a result of the use of gels, scars after surgery become lighter.

During the treatment of postoperative sutures, there are certain conditions so that damaged skin heals faster and the scars look more aesthetically pleasing:

1. Applying ointment and dressing should be done at least twice a day.
2. It is necessary to treat the sore spot with clean and dry hands, with a special disinfectant applied to them.
3. Before changing the dressing, it is necessary to treat the wound with an antiseptic and determine the degree of healing: when the damaged area is wet and redness is present, the inflammatory processes on the skin are considered unfinished; If a small crust forms on the seam, the healing process can be considered almost complete.

Postoperative special ointments are used depending on the condition of the wound. If the seam is considered wet, it must be treated with a preparation of gel-like consistency; ointment for healing a sutured wound after surgery is strictly prohibited in such situations!

If you ignore this recommendation, after applying the ointment, a greasy formation in the form of a film will appear on the damaged area of ​​the skin, which prevents the penetration of air into the tissue and slows down the processes of natural recovery.

Means for rapid wound healing

The most common drug for treating wounds after surgery is. This medication contains components that promote the production of collagen, which is responsible for the restoration processes and normalization of the skin.

Solcoseryl can be purchased in pharmacies in two forms: gel and ointment. The first option is used when the inflammatory processes have not yet completed, and the ointment is applied to a dry wound after surgery. In this case, the product covers the seam with a film that protects the sore spot from viruses and bacteria. The cost of Solcoseryl does not exceed 200 rubles.

It is possible to use a cheaper analogue -. The composition of this drug is practically no different from Solcoseryl and is also an excellent ointment - an assistant in the fight against postoperative sutures. Actovegin should be applied only once a day, in the form of a bandage. At the pharmacy, its price varies from 100 to 150 rubles.

Doctors also recommend using ointment to heal postoperative sutures. The effectiveness of this drug is known, in addition, Levomekol has antibiotic properties. The product is often purchased to treat festering lesions, eczema and inflamed skin rashes. Another advantage of Levomekol is the ability to use it for pregnant girls. The cost of such a drug does not exceed 100 rubles.

Do not forget that caring for the damaged area of ​​skin after surgery must be carried out in accordance with the instructions of the doctor, who, in addition to a special ointment, will recommend several more treatment methods in combination.