Question:
Has anyone spit a stitch?

I am 4 weeks post op....a week and a half ago my surgical tape dropped off and showed the top of my incision has not closed and was oozing. I went to urgent care, was given antibiotics and told to come back if not better in a week. Well, I waited 4 days and insisted on an appt at a surgical clinic where I was given an appt w/ a nurse who specializes in wound care....she put silver nitrate in the opening and now I have a hole in my incision....she took me off antibiotics and told me my incision is trying to "spit a stitch" that a stitch hasn't dissolved and the incision won't close while it is there....I had my surgery out of town and was advised to contact my surgeon which I will when the office opens. My main question is for anyone who has experienced this and if so what was the time frame for recovery....If my surgeon has to open me back up and dig out this stitch will I miss work? I am returning to an old job after losing my last job 4 days before surgery....I can't miss work as it is like a new job now and I can't wait to begin this job as I may lose the opportunity to return and I need the benefits NOW! Hoping to hear from anyone with same problem.    — nani68 (posted on July 25, 2003)

July 25, 2003
Nancy, first let me say I am not a dtr...However, my incision busted open and leaked for 3 1/2 months. As long as your incision isn't ozzing anyhting that is oderous or green, there is nothing wrong with you, we all have to heal from the inside out. I don't think that person should have put Silver Nitrate on it (usually dtrs reserve this for a few mos or so), but, I would keep it clean and dry with guaze and tape and it will close on its own sweet time. Do no exercise other than walking and be patient. DOn't swim or anything. Mine had a whole and seeped for 3 1/2 months, I am just about a yr out now and my 3 in scar healed beutifully, can't even tell. Good Luck to you. Heather Open 8/15/02 305/187/150.
   — heathercross

July 25, 2003
When my daughter was an infant, she had a huge ovarian tumor which had to be removed. Afterward, her incision oozed and she spit her stitches at the rate of 1 every week. Sometimes they work their way out on their own, somtimes they have to go get 'em. If the stitch is not deep, it is easily removed. If they have to get the stitch they make a very tiny incision if necessary (after numbing the area of course).If they are deep, it will be up to you and your Doc if you will be prepared to go back to work or not.
   — M B.

July 25, 2003
Yes, good grief, yes. I had THREE of the little dudes pop out of incisions. I thought something terrible had happened. I call the surgeon's office and they told me it was normal. They were extremely irritating, but finally, the stitches dissolved and just dropped off. I didn't pull at them or anything - one day they were just gone.
   — Cheryl M.

July 25, 2003
Hi! I had my surgery done lap so I had 6 small incisions.Al of them healed within 2 weeks except for one because sutures were poking through the skin.My surgeon said that since they are dissolvable they will usually come out on there own.Everyday I would gently pull on them and pull it out as far as it would come, them I would clip it with scissors as close to the skin as possible.After about a week it looked like it was getting infected so I put neosporin on it and bandaged it....a few days later it cleared up.A few days after that I was able to pull out the tail end of the suture.Then my incision healed completely.
   — jennifer A.