Figure-of-Eight Sutures for Bleeding Varicose Veins

​The figure-of-eight suture is a fascinating technique, often used in unique cases. The stitch is extremely secure and easy to place. It can be used to save time during long, complicated repairs and to create additional strength in high-tension areas. The figure-of-eight stitch can be modified to bring skin edges together or close off small bleeding arteries, varicose veins, or even bleeding hemorrhoids. Multiple figure-of-eight sutures can be used in a row.The idea is to use a single suture to surround a small area of tissue in a box shape to close a laceration or put pressure on a small site. Figure-of-eight sutures can be placed anywhere on the body and for other reasons, such as for high-tension areas, but they may increase scarring. They should not be used on the face.Removing figure-of-eight sutures can be difficult, and absorbable sutures may be valuable. The ideal absorbable suture has low tissue reactivity, high tensile strength, slow absorption rates, and reliable knot security. (UpToDate. Closure of Minor Skin Wounds with Sutures, August 2019; http://bit.ly/2kuZXk7.)Bleeding varicose vein tied off with two figure-of-eight absorbable sutures. Photo by M. Roberts.Figure-of-eight sutures can be removed, of course, so nylon or Prolene can be used. If using Prolene, consider that it may be figure-of-eight difficult because Prolene is slippery. Using figure-of-eight sutures is great for closing two layers simultaneously, and can be used to fix lacerations quickly.T...
Source: The Procedural Pause - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs