caesarean - stitches or staples?

[fireflyz]

I'm pg 3weeks with first baby and am trying to find out as much as I can about my options in case I have to have a caesarean.

Which is more common in the UK at the moment, stitches or staples? Does the mother get a choice about which are used? What would make a surgeon prefer one method over the other?

To my mind staples sound quite scary.

Would welcome any comments from people who've experienced this.
TIA

IMO experiance, 3 friends had C sections in last 18 months all had stiches

Hey there fireflyz and congratulations. I had an emergency c-section with DS1 and had staples. I wasn't given a choice as I was completely unconscious for the whole thing :o They were absolutely fine and when I had them taken out I didn't feel a thing.

I can't comment on what is more common in the UK as I don't live there, but I think staples are used more generally these days anyway .... although I'm sure someone will be along with a lot more info.

Try not to get yourself too worried about it though as hopefully you won't have to go through a c-section. However, if you do, believe me you won't worry what they use :o

I had a planned section with stitches post op.

I wasn't offered a choice and wouldn't of had a preference if I had been.

Only had one elcs and had double stitches with beads on the outside. They were easy for my midwife to remove post op. She said to keep the 2 tiny beads as jewelry .

FWIW i'd go with whatever the consultant is best at!

Had EMCS last year and had stitches with nothing to remove afterwards. To be fair at the time I wouldn't have cared if they had used barbed wire and tinsel.

BiscuitNibbler

Fireflyz, not really a patient choice thing, depending on what the surgeon deems most appropriate at the time, monocryl, dexon and the removal prolene with beads are all common. Staples tend to be used for the larger BMI or if there are concerns about oozing to ensure drainage. But as I said you might voice a preference, but a would trust the surgoen to make the clinical decision at the time..

Anyway national stats give you a 75% chance of a vaginal birth so good luck!

I had staples last time and I think I might have had a bit of a reaction to them so I'm going to mention this and ask about stitches. But if my chap has a preference, I won't argue!

I had a long running stitch with beads at each end. Very easy to remove and my scar is very neat- barely visible now after 14 months, despite the op itself being a crash job.

I am in the York area and was recently told that their procedure is staples but that Harrogate's procedure is the beads.

This info was given out at my NHS antenatal class as a matter of course. I know you are a little way off this, but you should be able to find out from your midwife before your antenatal classes.

It seems its a decision made by the trust rather than a case by case basis.

I hope this helps.

I'm in Surrey, and had staples after my EMCS 20 months ago.

They were removed a week later at home on my sofa by my midwife with a staple remover - yep, like the standard office variety, but a bit bigger and (I assume) cleaner. DH was fascinated!

Staples here (16 months ago).

3 weeks? shouldn't you be looking at prams online?

Running stitch is better than staples. I requested no staples with dd2/3 as I was allergic first time. Much easier to take out toi

Not having had a stitch I can't compare but I had absolutely no problems with my staples - and I have a nickel allergy. :)

Congratulations on your first baby, your only 3 weeks gone so stop worrying about the birth for atleast ...oh... 4 months :o

I have no personal experience of staples but I know 2 people who have had them and they all have quite dodgy looking scars, said they were agony and quite slow recovery periods for some reason. I did have internal stitches and was up and about the next day fine, had no pain (midwives had to pretty much force painkillers down my throat incase I crashed :o) and virtually no scar.

A doctor here won't use staples because he said they get infected easily and he has seen people almost bursting open with serious coughing but to be fair I think that could happen if stitches were not properly done too

As others have pointed out though it is a personal thing and everyone has different experiences :)

I had a dissolvable suture so nothing to take out. I have a lovely neat scar (thanks to my surgeon Mac The Knife)!!!

I had staples and my scar is invisible. I was told by 2 different smear nurses it was the best scar they had ever seen both inside and out! This is in the UK albeit privately performed at the Lindo Wing.