Sutures and Wound Repair/ General Surgery (ABSA) Practice Test

What type of interrupted suture is placed through the tissue from one side of the wound to the other and then back through tissue again?

1. Continuous Suture

2. Matress Suture

3. Simple Interrupted Suture

4. Figure-8 Suture

The correct answer is: Matress Suture

The type of interrupted suture that is designed to pass through the tissue from one side of a wound to the other and then return back through the tissue is known as a mattress suture. This technique creates a horizontal or vertical mattress suture, depending on how the needle is passed, which helps to evenly distribute tension across the wound edges. This method can be particularly beneficial in wounds with significant tension, as it can provide better tissue approximation and minimize the risk of ischemia to the skin edges. The mattress suture is characterized by its ability to hold the tissue more securely and can also help to undermine tissue, promoting better healing. It is often used in surgical situations where skin laxity is of concern or when suturing thicker tissue layers. In contrast, the other types of sutures listed serve different purposes. Continuous sutures involve running a single strand of suture material along the length of a wound without interruption. Simple interrupted sutures are placed in a straightforward manner where each stitch is an individual unit, without the back-and-forth passage through the tissue. A figure-8 suture is used particularly in securing structures or areas with irregular shapes but does not involve returning through the same path in the way a mattress suture does.