Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 08:49:40 GMT

[quote user="Tomas Hansen"]Now this can't be the first time in history that this happens but the first in mine), so which strategy for suturing would you have gone for?[/quote]

I might have gone for a 'figure of 8' suture rather than a vertical mattress, but whether it would have made much difference to how well it heals I don't know!

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 22:19:37 GMT

[quote user="Tomas Hansen"] In case that the inside wound edges would part too much[/quote]

Well of course you could always have put some sutures on the oral side too. But even quite horrid-looking intra-oral wounds heal quickly.

[quote user="Tomas Hansen"] then how many beauty contests he will win is for the future to tell...[/quote]

I reckon for a tomcat a good scar is a matter of pride. As with the pre-war German student and the duelling scar.

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Tomas Hansen — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 19:55:43 GMT

Thanks a lot, seems like I must perfect my single interrupted knots. I know that both variants of mattress tend to evert the wound edges, but I did not dare to stitch up the outside only In case that the inside wound edges would part too much and become a pocket of infection. It looked rather snug after I was done, but I guess it can still evert over time. The nurse was quite impressed and ordered a boob job right away ( I guess a referral is in place...). Meanwhile the cat eats his "gruel" happily, then how many beauty contests he will win is for the future to tell...

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Anthony Todd — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 16:26:04 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]Probably much the same but with simple interrupted sutures.[/quote]

+1 for me too and start at the bottom so as to get the lip margin "perfect"

Mattress always [?] in my hands tended to evert the skin edges even if they're only slightly tight.

Plastic surgeons seem to use single interrupted; heavy duty surgeons seem to use a knife and fork or those dreadful but quick staples.!!

Single interrupted gives a plastic surgeon's result, 'cos you can poke the skin edges into perfect alignment with your I/V needle, which I always did with C/Ss.

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 16:14:26 GMT

[quote user="Tomas Hansen"]Now this can't be the first time in history that this happens but the first in mine), so which strategy for suturing would you have gone for?[/quote]

Probably much the same but with simple interrupted sutures. The oral side will heal quickly. Personally, I would have inspected the oral side and probably put a few fine sutures there if it seemed untidy, but that's not a criticism of your approach.

RE: Suturing a cleft / torn lip on a wounded soldier

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 29 Oct 2016 22:15:54 GMT

Pretty much what you did, I suspect. most things heal themselves, with a little help!