Preparation / Typical Procedure
If undergoing surgery, no special preparation is necessary other than what is recommended for the surgery itself.
In the case of a laceration, the patient is placed in a comfortable position and the affected area cleaned with an antiseptic solution. The wound is often irrigated with sterile water to clean out any debris or bacteria. The physician will inject a numbing solution (most likely lidocaine) into the skin so that the suturing will not hurt.
Depending on the depth of the injury, each layer of tissue, starting with the deepest, is stitched together. Placing a suture involves taking a long thread with a curved needle at one end. The end with the needle is held by a special tool called a needle driver, which looks like a pair of scissors with clamps to hold the needle instead of blades. The doctor holds the needle driver and uses the needle to insert the thread into each side of the wound. The doctor then pulls the thread, which brings the skin together, and then quickly ties a knot.
Expected Results
