Learn to Put in Stitches in Less Than 7 Minutes
Commonly known as “putting in stitches,” suturing is not complicated. And if you choose to use a straight needle – it’s even simpler. In this post we’ll show you how to repair lacerations the simple and easy way. Best of all, our technique requires almost no equipment and takes only minutes to learn and perform!Here’s a video on the technique:
Surgical suturing needles come in many confusing sizes and configurations. Most needles are curved into a half-circle, but the type we’ll be using here are straight and flat at the end. These are handy because unlike curved needles, you need to carry nothing other than the package of suture itself.
Suture is rated in much the same way as fishing line. Though instead of “pound-test,” a numbering system of zeros “0” is used. The more 0’s, the smaller diameter of the material. Most useful are sizes between 2-0 and 5-0. If you can only get one size buy 2-0 or 3-0. It’s better to use a heavier material than you need, than selecting a smaller size that might break.
Suture material is the “string” that comes attached to the needle in the package, and it can be divided into two types: absorbable and non-absorbable. Preppers often find non-absorbable materials easier to use and more robust. Absorbables are designed for internal use, as with appendectomies or hernia repairs. They can be used to repair skin cuts, but may cause the wound edges to turn red. This can be problematic because the resulting skin discoloration can be mistaken for an infection.
The most common and perhaps most useful suture is silk. It’s cheap and easy to tie with an old fashion square knot. Tie three or four times, cut off the excessive string, and move on to the next one.
After watching our video you’ll be good to go. Additional straight needle suturing techniques can be found on The Prepper Pages YouTube channel for those interested.
-ThePrepperPages.com
