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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Elective CS: stiches V staples pros / cons / preferences anyone?

38 replies

GinaTonic · 10/12/2008 20:25

Having ECS soon due to fibroid blocking cervix. Anyone got an opinion on the above? Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

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OatcakeCravings · 10/12/2008 20:43

I don't know anyone who had staples - as far as I am aware you'll get self disolving stiches.

MrsMattie · 10/12/2008 20:46

Bizarrely, it is up to which technique the consultant prefers (if you are doing it on the NHS).

I had staples with my first section and stitches this time around, and can't really see or feel any difference in my scar.

Lib76 · 10/12/2008 20:47

i had staples due to increased risk of bleeding due to low platelets. they were fine. didn't feel them coming out as was still numb at scar. 6 months on and would never know i had staples in.

BibiJesus · 10/12/2008 20:50

I had dissolving stitches with both c-sections. I thought it was just what they did at my hospital - found out the second time, it's what your surgeon prefers as the woman immediately before me in theatre had staples as she had a different surgeon.

nuttygirl · 10/12/2008 20:52

Gnerelaly speaking it's whatever the consultant usually does. However I had it written on my notes that they must use stitches as I'm allergic to some metals and didn't want to risk problems with the staples iyswim. Didn't have a cs though so was a bit irrelevant in the end.

fingermousey · 11/12/2008 07:53

I had dissolvable stiches each time and found them great

TheCrackFox · 11/12/2008 11:13

I had staples and they were fine. I was terrified that they would be sore to come out but didn't feel a thing.

Aitch · 11/12/2008 11:16

i got one long stitch with a bead at each end, on day 3 they took the stitch out by cutting one of the beads and pulling the stitch along. it tickled, but no pain. you're totally numb around the incision for yonks anyway. oh, and if they have to give you any injections in the tummy make sure they feel around for a numb bit first, no point in feeling a jag if you don't have to.

mistlethrush · 11/12/2008 11:33

I had staples. MW came to take them out on day 6 and, instead of popping the first one out, she had the tool the wrong way round and pushed it more in. She then had a go with the tool the right way round but by this time the staple was in rather firmly and everything (by this time) hurt so much that she failed - all the others came out fine, but I had to go in to post-natal ward to have that first staple out. Apart from that the staples were ok

Aitch · 11/12/2008 11:55

sorry, my bead came out on day 6 as well, not day 3.

gladders · 11/12/2008 11:55

had staples first time and one long stitch with beads at either end secnd time.

I preferred the stitch - but didn't have any say in the matter either time...

i just hated the idea of the staples - and the idea of them beng removed. they looked awful, and i think my scar was lumpier first time around.

nowtygaffer · 11/12/2008 12:20

I had dissolvable stitches 1st time round but they left a big knot at one end which didn't dissolve. I had to go to to my GP after a month and she pulled it out. Hated them!!

2nd time I went to a different hospital and had staples. I was dreading having them taken out but it was actually fine. For some reason they felt more secure (don't know whether this was my imagination though!)

Pinkjennybellrock · 11/12/2008 12:21

I had one long stitch with beads on either end. I was glad when it came out to be honest, I kept catching the beads.

OWWWWWW.

blueshoes · 11/12/2008 12:26

I had a long thread with beads at either end both times removed on day 5/6 with a bit of trepidation at my end. But it was Also dislike the catching in the meantime. Don't know what staples are. Don't have experience with dissolvable stitches but not comfortable with the thought of them dissolving too soon!

My scar healed much better the second time around, the first being a crash section and the second an elective. I put that down to the much much calmer environment and my asking the surgeon to cut out the previous scar and taking care when stitching up to minimise scarring. She did!

blueshoes · 11/12/2008 12:26

But it was fine.

IwishIwasaStockingStuffer · 11/12/2008 12:29

I had the long stitch with the bead the first time, it was ok but did catch on things a lot, ouch.

Second time the surgeon asked my DP (he's also a surgeon) if it was ok for him to use staples, we said no thanks and asked for dissolving sutures. Neither of us was keen on having staples.

MamaG · 11/12/2008 12:34

I've just had staples after emCS. They were taken out on day 5
i hated them tbh

I was so jealous of the others on teh ward with dissolvable stitches! They were all elective cs, don't know if thats why they had stitches. Ilost a lot of blood and think thats why I had staples, but I'm just guessing.

I didn't like it when they were in, I felt that they were pulling (they weren't) but I had a cough due to htem catching the back of my throat when i had my general anaesthetic during cs (thanks for that) and I cringed to think of them pulling every time I coughed.

When they were taken out, on day 5 by MW, I shook and shook, but it wasn't htat bad, a bit "nippy", not completely pain free but certainly bearable. I was just a bit "medicalled out" if htat makes any sense!

fruitful · 11/12/2008 12:38

First cs (elective, well, planned)- long stitch with a bead on the end. That was horrid, kept catching on things and had to have someone pull it out.

Second one (emergency) - dissolving stitches. They were great, didn't know they were there, went away by themselves.

Third one (crash, GA) - staples. 30 of them. Vertically. I nearly fainted the first time I looked down, I looked like Frankenstein's monster. Pretty painful to have them taken out, 10 days later. And a year later (it is his birthday today ) I still have little dot scars on either side of the big long scar. But I don't heal well, scar-wise.

MamaG · 11/12/2008 12:39

(fruitful whats the difference between a crash cs and an emergency cs?)

mistlethrush · 11/12/2008 12:59

Mine was 'emergency' - all very calm and ordered - went into theatre for forceps trial and cs if it didn't work - no panic, epidural topped up alot before forceps trial so no need for extra etc...

Crash I think is normally the type when you need to get the baby out asap for whatever reason - hurried, ga. if not already with epidural etc.

zazen · 11/12/2008 13:11

I had staples - 25 of them - after my horrific crash section - and they caught on everything - all my lovely disposable knickers I had been stock piling were no good as they caught on the staples - I had to send DH off to get knickers twice actually - he got me a tiny pair (one) and then I sent him back for size 22 (ten of them).
I have a lumpy scar with a three inch area which didn't mesh together properly, so there is a huge ridge and overlap. I can see tyhe tiny holes the staples made as a line of scar dots up and down both sides of the actual scar.

The midwife taking out the staples was incompetent also mistlethrush and had to tug and tug to get them out -OUCH and then asked me if I wanted to keep them as a souvenir - eh NO thanks love! I have the whopping big scar as a memory - oh and a BABY!

Go for the dissolvable stitches and INSIST you only get a small scar. And that they cauterise it as they cut.

Best of luck to you!

mistlethrush · 11/12/2008 13:32

I might add that my scar (3.5 yrs on) is not too bad, particularly given the length of it originally (Ds was 10 lbs 5oz which is probably partly why I needed ecs in the first place)

MamaG · 11/12/2008 13:59

oh yes I had to send out for BIG knickers too

zazen · 11/12/2008 14:25

Yes! I always wondered why they stocked those huge up-to-the-boobs knickers in the shops! Size 22 was the biggest they had and they were perfect. Silly DH bought a size 10 - still have them somewhere - have never got back into them

zazen · 11/12/2008 14:32

Not that my arse is hanging out three sheets to the wind mind - I do wear a larger size than 10 now!!

I had a crash section also with no cauterising blade either mamag and lost half a litre of blood - was so anaemic. The yanked DD out in two minutes flat from first cut, and gave me a 12 inch scar. All very horrible - I sometimes dream about just having had an elective - pop up onto the table with whale muzac playing - no shouting, no urgency, no teams of people all masked up rushing in, no panic.

Nice scar, no blood loss, babe AOK - sounds lovely.

Best of luck to you OP - (hope we haven't scared you) your elective is my dream birth you know!

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