Stay sutures are temporary
surgical suture
A surgical suture, also known as a stitch or stitches, is a medical device used to hold Tissue (biology), body tissues together and approximate wound edges after an injury or surgery. Application generally involves using a Sewing needle, needle w ...
s which are placed during operation to hold or manipulate the operating area. In cases of
ocular surgery
Eye surgery, also known as ophthalmic surgery or ocular surgery, is surgery performed on the eye or its adnexa. Eye surgery is part of ophthalmology and is performed by an ophthalmologist or eye surgeon. The eye is a fragile organ, and requires ...
,
tracheostomy
Tracheotomy (, ), or tracheostomy, is a surgical airway management procedure which consists of making an incision on the front of the neck to open a direct airway to the trachea. The resulting stoma (hole) can serve independently as an airway ...
,
suprapubic
cystolithotomy,
appendicectomy
An appendectomy (American English) or appendicectomy (British English) is a surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedure to trea ...
,
ureterolithotomy, or
choledocholithotomy
A gallstone is a calculus (medicine), stone formed within the gallbladder from precipitated bile components. The term cholelithiasis may refer to the presence of gallstones or to any disease caused by gallstones, and choledocholithiasis refers ...
stay sutures can be given. They can be used to temporarily align a structure to stabilize it. This can allow a surgeon to work more safely around the area, without the possibility of a clamp slipping and falling out of place. Stay sutures can also limit bleeding in an area where key vessels may be disturbed. Usually they are removed at the end of the surgery prior to the closure of the incision, although they may be left in place if the surgeon feels they pose no risk to the patient. They can also be placed at the end of
strabismus surgery
Strabismus surgery (also: ''extraocular muscle surgery'', ''eye muscle surgery'', or ''eye alignment surgery'') is surgery on the extraocular muscles to correct strabismus, the misalignment of the human eye, eyes. Strabismus surgery is a one-day ...
to avoid that the eye drifts back to its original position. Stay sutures can sometimes be used in the management of surgical emergencies. Stay sutures are kept in place with the help of hemostatic artery forceps.
See also
*
Cervical cerclage
Cervical cerclage, also known as a cervical stitch, is a treatment for cervical weakness, when the cervix starts to shorten and open too early during a pregnancy causing either a late miscarriage or preterm birth. In women with a prior spontaneou ...
References
Stitches (textile arts)
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