Suture Nonabsorbable Wounds

When the physician applies the suture he/she uses a thread to perform the wound closure. Sutures can be nonabsorbable or absorbable. Absorbable sutures are when the body breaks down the suture over time and eventually dissolve. But usually nonabsorbable sutures are preferred because then the physician knows that the suture won’t dissolve before the full healing process is done. When the staples are used they may be circular staples to close the wound it depends on the wound.

Sutures or staples are most likely nonabsorbable, so that means that they must be removed once the wound is healed. Once the wound is healed the patient returns to the office or the clinic to have the sutures or staples removed.

If there is any pre-op for this minor surgery there really isn’t any for the patient and for the medical assistant would be to get the exam room ready and to have all of the supplies and equipment ready for the physician.

The medical assistant would have a mayo tray and disinfect it with solution, clean it off then take the sterile drape open the package and carefully grab the corner non-sterile edge where it is to open it and carefully without hitting the exam table or and thing that could be contaminated and not dragging it a crossed anything carefully grab the other non-sterile corner and place the sterile drape over the mayo tray without reaching over the drape so it doesn’t get contaminated. Then wash hands. Put sterile gloves on and carefully put the sterile supplies on the sterile mayo