How do you suture a horizontal mattress
Marcus Reynolds
Updated on May 13, 2026
The horizontal mattress suture is useful for wounds under high tension because it provides strength and wound eversion. This suture may also be used as a stay stitch for temporary approximation of wound edges, allowing placement of simple interrupted or subcuticular stitches.
When would you use a horizontal mattress suture?
The horizontal mattress suture is useful for wounds under high tension because it provides strength and wound eversion. This suture may also be used as a stay stitch for temporary approximation of wound edges, allowing placement of simple interrupted or subcuticular stitches.
When do you need a vertical mattress suture?
Vertical mattress sutures are particularly useful in wounds under tension. They also help to evert wound edges in situations where the skin is prone to naturally inverting into the wound. The vertical mattress stitch has one deep throw and one superficial throw (directly above and parallel) to evert the skin edges.
Why is it called a mattress suture?
The vertical mattress stitch, often called vertical Donati stitch (named after the Italian surgeon Mario Donati), is a suture type used to close skin wounds.How do you choose suture material size?
Use the needle with the smallest possible length for your procedure, you will get better results. Suture sizing is just like the sizing for IV’s and injection needles- the smaller the suture, the larger the number. The smallest sutures, 10-0, you will likely never use as a nurse practitioner.
What are the different types of suture materials?
- Nylon. A natural monofilament suture.
- Polypropylene (Prolene). A synthetic monofilament suture.
- Silk. A braided natural suture.
- Polyester (Ethibond). A braided synthetic suture.
What is ideal distance between sutures?
The distance between sutures should be roughly ½ the length of the individual sutures. Place the first suture in the center of the wound if approximation will be difficult, continuing by closing the distance to the wound edges by ½ to minimize tension forces on the tissue wall.
How do you do subcutaneous sutures?
- At the apex of the wound, pass your need from deep to superficial to begin your buried knot.
- At the apex of the wound, pass your need from deep to superficial to begin your buried knot.
- Pull your suture through.
- Now pass your needle from superficial to deep on the opposite side to help bury the knot you tie.
What is an Aberdeen knot?
The Aberdeen knot is an alternative knot used when ending a continuous suture line, most often for subcutaneous and intradermal closure. When used in subcutaneous closure, this knot allows the surgeon to continue directly to an intradermal closure without cutting the subcutaneous suture line.
What are horizontal mattress sutures used for?The horizontal mattress suture is an everting suture technique that spreads tension along a wound edge. 1,6,7 This technique is commonly used for pulling wound edges together over a distance, or as the initial suture to anchor two wound edges (holding sutures).
Article first time published onWhat is Ethilon suture used for?
ETHILON Suture is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, including use in cardiovascular, ophthalmic, and neurological procedures.
How do you pull stitches out?
Using the tweezers, pull gently up on each knot. Slip the scissors into the loop, and snip the stitch. Gently tug on the thread until the suture slips through your skin and out. You may feel slight pressure during this, but removing stitches is rarely painful.
What is a mattress stitch medical?
The horizontal mattress stitch is a suture technique used to close wounds. It everts skin well and spreads tension along the wound edge.
How do I know what suture to use?
- The best suture for a given laceration is the smallest diameter suture, which will adequately counteract static and dynamic tension forces on the skin.
- The stronger an absorbable suture is, the greater its absorption time, and the greater its risk of causing a foreign body reaction within a wound.
What is the strongest suture material?
Surgilon provides the most stable strength for general suture techniques. FiberWire is the strongest suture material for a site where a large number of throws is clinically possible. PDS II provides a strong suture when combined with cyanoacrylate reinforcement.
What is a Vicryl suture?
VICRYL Suture is a synthetic absorbable suture coated with a lactide and glycolide copolymer plus calcium stearate. 1. It is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, including ophthalmic procedures, but not cardiovascular or neurological tissues.
How deep should a suture go?
The needle should be inserted 1-3 mm from the wound edge, depending on skin thickness. The depth and angle of the suture depends on the particular suturing technique. In general, the two sides of the suture should become mirror images, and the needle should also exit the skin perpendicular to the skin surface.
What are blue sutures?
Polypropylene sutures are blue colored for easy identification during surgery. Polypropylene sutures have excellent tensile strength and are used for orthopaedic, plastic and micro surgeries, general closure and cardiovascular surgeries. Polypropylene sutures are popularly known as Prolene sutures.
What's the difference between stitches and sutures?
Although stitches and sutures are widely referred to as one and the same, in medical terms they are actually two different things. Sutures are the threads or strands used to close a wound. “Stitches” (stitching) refers to the actual process of closing the wound. However, “suturing” is often used to mean stitching.
What are the 2 types of sutures?
Absorbable vs non-absorbable sutures There are two varieties of sutures: absorbable and non-absorbable. Absorbable sutures do not require your doctor to remove them. The enzymes found in the tissues of your body will naturally digest them.
Which type of suture is the most widely used?
Simple interrupted suture: It is the most common and simple form of suturing technique. The suture is placed by inserting the needle perpendicular to the epidermis. Inserting it perpendicularly helps in a wider bite of deeper tissue to be included in the suture than at the surface leading to rapid wound healing.
What is the difference between a square knot and a granny knot?
Granny knotABoK#3, #80, #186, #464, #1206, #1405, #2553
What is running locked suture?
A new suture technique, the running locked intradermal suture, is introduced. The suture is continuous and buried, and is designed for closing simple elliptical wounds under light tension in which a good cosmetic result is desired. It is used in conjunction with a topical antibiotic and a transparent dressing.
What is a pulley stitch?
A pulley suture is a modification of a vertical mattress suture. A vertical mattress suture is placed, the knot is left untied, and the suture is looped through the external loop on the other side of the incision and pulled across (see the image below). At this point, the knot is tied.
What is the hardest suture to learn?
Running subcuticular sutures are considered to be the “holy grail” of suturing techniques by many. That is to say, when done correctly, they give the best cosmetic outcome. Hand in hand with that, they are certainly the most technically challenging and time consuming of suturing techniques.
When should scalp sutures be removed?
- Scalp: 7-10 days (same for staples)
- Face: 4-5 days.
- Neck: 7 days.
- Chest, abdomen or back: 7-10 days.
- Arms and back of hands: 7 days.
- Legs and top of feet: 10 days.
- Palms, soles, fingers or toes: 12-14 days.
- Overlying a joint: 12-14 days.
What is a purse string suture?
: a surgical suture passed as a running stitch in and out along the edge of a circular wound in such a way that when the ends of the suture are drawn tight the wound is closed like a purse.