Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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Stitches Still Left 3 Years After Tummy Tuck?

8 months ago, I had an oozing wound on my tummy tuck scar, just above the mons area. My plastic surgeon went in to look for a leftover stitch but could not locate one. He did this twice. One one occasion, he went pretty deep with the needle and it hurt very bad down in the pubic area! He never did find a stitch, but it came out on its own. The area where he explored is still sensitive. Now, the mons area on that side is swollen and feels like pinching. Could it be another stitch?

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mons pubis stitches

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by Nashville1764 in Nashville, TN

Doctor Answers (17)
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Use of Dissolving VS Permanent Stitches in Tummy Tuck Surgery?

A review of my colleagues’ responses may give the casual RealSelf reader the wrong impression on this topic. In breaking with some of my more prolific RealSelf “2 lines or less” responders, I think this topic is important and deserves a proper explanation. From the beginning of time, surgeons have used multiple ways of bringing cut tissues together, from using fire ants to bite and hold the tissues and then twisting their heads off (which would not go over well... more

Stitches

Usually the sutures used on the skin are absorbable and should go away over time (months). However, many times the deeper stitches are permanent and do not absorb. Normally these are surrounded in scar tissue and help hold the muscles repair in place. Occasionally, the body try to extrude the permanent stitch like what happened with you. I would suggest discussing your current symptoms with your plastic surgeon. Good Luck.

Stitches Still Left 3 Years After Tummy Tuck

I personally use absorable sutures with the knots tied deep dermally so they will not get close to the skin and spit out. You can get spitting of sutures with either absorable or nonabsorable sutures.

Type of stitch/suture material used in deep closure of rectus abdominis diastasis in tummy tuck

I was equeally interested in reading my colleagues responses. I intially used absorbable sutures (Maxon) but was dissatisfied with the long term resutls and so I returned to permanent sutures for the past 12 years and have been pleased with the relatively low rate of permanent extrusion. When fixing hernias, we tend to use permanent materials and so I don't understand the reluctance of some to use these materials.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Permanent sutures for skin flap closure not the best solution...

Some surgeons got in the habit of using permanent suture materials in the deep tissues as a result of being trained by their elders, who in turn were trained by WWII veterans. This is a remnant of classical military general surgical training, where abdomens were routinely closed with "40 cotton blues" and the like (inexpensive, strong, and available materials in crazy world where everything was in short supply), resulting in predictably profound inflammatory reactions in... more

Chronic suture exposure

It's very atypical and it depends on the suture material that your plastic surgeon used, but yes, it very likely is another suture. Eventually they'll all come out and your plastic surgeon will probably stop using that sort of suture even if you're the only patient it has happened to in his practice lifetime. Sorry to hear this happened but fortunately they just need to be removed and it improves. Keep your incision nice and clean as the new scar forms... more

Spitting sutures?

As suggested by the other panelists, there could be more sutures that are trying to work their way out and so it would be helpful for you to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area to evaluate. I hope that helps! see video

Tummy tuck stitches may still be present.

There are 2 types of stitches available for use in a tummy tuck. One type is permanent and one type dissolves. The stitches you have spitting out are permanent ones. There may be other sutures trying to work their way out. Discuss with your plastic surgeon your concerns and request local anesthesia if the area is explored again.

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

18 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

Why use non absorbable suture?

Non absorbable suture has been used to close the superficial fascia in abdominoplasty because it was felt that repair of this layer provided better results and this layer would not have enough strength when the absorbables go away. Spitting of these is a problem and is the reason many surgeons no longer use non absorbables for this layer.

Spitting sutures years after TT

I have been in practice over 20 years. I used to use non-absorbable sutures in the deeper layers of abdominoplasty incision closures, but found that a few women "spit" the sutures out years later. Most of them were right around three years after the TT. Several women kept spitting them and two I ended up taking back to surgery, excising the scars and removing all the permanent sutures. I closed them with absorbable sutures and the problem was gone. It... more

Pinching in mons pubis

Often times suregons use non-absorbable sutures in the abdominal plication and these have the potential to extrude.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Stitches Still Left 3 Years After Tummy Tuck?

Yes it could be. So please seek surgery care in your area. Best to see a boarded surgeon. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Tummy tuck sutures

There are two types of sutures used in tummy tuck, those that dissolve, and those that do not. Most often we will use a dissolving suture for the skin so that there is no need to remove them after, a process which can be uncomfortable. The suture in your picture appears to be nylon, an nondissolving type, and if left or missed can spit or cause an irritated spot. If another stitch is present your surgeon can numb the area when the stitch is removed. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd more

Suture extrusion years after a tummy tuck

Looking at the photo, it looks like a braided nylon suture which is permanent. I personally use all disolvable sutures both for the muscle repair and wound closure. This is one of the problems with the permanent sutures, your body "spits them out". Usually trhis involves a chronic suture abscess or infection and the body pushes out the foreign material. Sometimes these are hard to find, since the body wraps it in scar tissue and when injects local anesthetic into the area... more

Stitches 3 years after tummy tuck

While many surgeons use only dissolving stitches for abdominoplasty, yours appears to have used permanent ones. These can 'spit' from the wound years later. You might consider returning to have the are checked. Ask the surgeon to use some local anesthetic if he does an exploration.

Tummy tuck stitches

I personally use all dissolvable stitches but it looks like your doctor used permanent ones and you might have another one working its way out. Have them take a look. Lots of doctors use these.

Stich years after a tummy tuck

It is possible for nonabsorbable stitches to cause these types of problems years after surgery. Check with your surgeon to see if the area needs to be treated.