Vicryl Sutures After Tummy Tuck - Allergic Reaction?

Can an allergy to Vicryl cause little pus blisters below the suture line?

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Lots of surgeons believe patients have Vicryl allergy. I believe they are wrong.

Vicryl sutures (made by Ethicon) are made of polyglactin 910, which is a copolymer of 90%glycolide (polyglycolic acid) and 10% L-lactide.These are braided, absorbable sutures that retain 75% of their original strength at 14 days, and 25% at 28 days. Vicryl Plus sutures have an added coating of triclosan, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial. Both absorb by hydrolysis, which causes minimal inflammation at the site of use. (Catgut, by contrast, absorbs by proteolysis, a somewhat more inflammatory... more

Suture Reaction After Tummy Tuck

Many people do get reactions to some of the dissolvable sutures. Oftentimes the body tries to extrude (spit out) the sutures. Your surgeon can remove any of these nuisance sutures for you. The areas will quickly rolve and heal well.

Localized suture reaction

What you are describing, the "little pus blister below the suture line", is commonly referred to as "spitting sutures" or a "stitch abcess". This alone does not indicate a true allergy to Vicryl. If a stitch is coming up to the surface, basically your body is reacting to the presence of a foreign material and trying to get rid of it. This is more common for sutures placed close to the surface of the skin, and certain types of suture material tend to do... more

Vicryl Suture reaction and Abscess formation is expected !!!

Many patients develop strong reaction to Vicryl sutures and develop areas of suture abscess which look like small pimples with puss drainage. the best treatment is to wash them, and keep them clean and not to let them get to moist. Hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can help.

Vicryl suture reaction after tummy tuck & abdominoplasty

Absolutely! Suture reactions to vicryl is very common and manfests as small suture abscesses. Typically the vast majority of sutures are resorbed by 3 months. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

33 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Problems with sutures

Tummy tucks typically involve the use of a number of different sutures including those that dissolve and permanent ones. Some surgeons have also started using dissolvable staples. Any time a dissolvable suture is used just below the skin there is a chance some of the stitch might not dissolve completely and become exposed. Most surgeons refer to this as "spitting." This process almost never involves an allergic reaction. The treatment is usually... more

Abdominoplasty sutures

An abdominoplasty contains many sutures. Spitting of a suture through the skin may not necessarily reflect an allergic reaction, but rather, a normal process of rejection of foreign bodies by the body. Fortunately, long term outcome is not affected.

Vicryl sutures after abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) can cause minor wound problems but not allergies.

Vicryl sutures are removed by the body via an inflammatory reaction. These "dissolvable" sutures are very useful and have been around for decades. Occasionally the inflammatory response can create a small sterile abscess around the suture. It looks like a pimple in the wound. Your surgeon can retrieve this with a pair of sterile pickups and the small hole will close in a day or so.

Blisters along the incision after tummy tuck

What you are describing is more likely a not uncommon stitch reaction that causes a small collection of fluid to form around the ends of stitches. The fluid usually causes a small opening in the skin to drain. Once the drainage is complete the small hole usually closes (this can take some time). If the stitch is not completely absorbed the fluid may remain and the small opening may not close for a long time. In some cases the small piece of stitch material needs to be removed. In most... more

Suture reaction in tummy tuck

It is rare to have an allergic reaction to Vicryl. What you are describing is likely "spitting" sutures or a suture abscess. Vicryl sutures are designed to dissolve over a period of time. This dissolving process occurs as your body reacts to the suture and walls it off while breaking it down. If the suture is close to the skin, this process can lead to a suture abscess as bacteria can contaminate the walled off suture. Removal of the offending... more