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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

do they still use staples to close a c-section wound?

47 replies

olivo · 11/08/2009 16:03

I had some sort of dissolvable stitches so nothing had to be removed. The lady in the bed next to me had a thread with a bead which was cut off and removed after about 5 days. do they use staples still for this? and if so, are they awful and do they hurt when they are removed?
is anything else used?

OP posts:

kiltycoldbum · 11/08/2009 21:10

my scar is very neat and lovely too, directly on top of my old one, just a shame about the belly hanging over it!

Meglet · 11/08/2009 21:11

olivio my surgeon went through the previous cs scar when I had my second. He said it had healed nicely so it would be fine a second time.

elmofan · 11/08/2009 21:37

i had 36 staples after a kidney operation years ago & they didn't hurt having them removed , i have also had two c-sections , the first surgeon used the thread & bead & all was fine , on second c-section i had dis-solvable stitches but got an infection & it took weeks for the stitches to dissolve ,
on second dc the surgeon cut through the first scar .
my dd was horrified when she first saw my kidney scar almost joins my c-section scar when she asked me " what happened" i told her i used to be a magicians assistant & got cut in half she was seven & JUST SAID " WOW"

Poledra · 11/08/2009 21:51

LOL elmofan - messin' with the DCs' minds is the best bit of parenthood IMO

I had the bead and stitch with my section, and it was fine - started to 'pull' a little at 5 days, so my community mw took it out (which tickled!) and all was fine.

I had dissolvable stitches when I had my appendix out when 31 wks' pg with DD2 - they were fine, but I was terrified the wound would reopen when the dressing came off . It didn't, of course, but my abdomen was so stretched I couldn't quite believe that it would heal properly.

PinkyMinxy · 11/08/2009 22:15

olivio all three of mine are over the same line, but the first one is a bit longer (it was a bit of a rush I think).

I just realised, my stitches were not dissolving ones, the MW took them out when I was back home- and it took longer than the bead removal.

CoteDAzur · 11/08/2009 22:26

I had staples after CS almost 3 months ago. To my surprise, they didn't hurt at all because the whole area is numb and you don't feel a thing on or around the scar for a good few months.

LeonieSoSleepy · 11/08/2009 22:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mawbroon · 11/08/2009 22:35

I had staples when I had ds in Oct 2005. I didn't know I had staples and got a big surprise when I took off the dressing to find a big zipper on my belly!!

A few of them stung when the midwife took them out (think day 6 or so?), but there were 28 of them, and I thought that one or two stinging wasn't too bad.

CoteDAzur · 11/08/2009 22:36

28?!?

I had less than 10.

idontbelieveit · 11/08/2009 22:38

I've had both, stitches the first time staples the second. Staples did hurt a bit when they were coming out but that's because the midwife had left it a bit too long after the surgery (they couldn't be bothered to come at the weekend) so my skin had started to grow over the staples, also she missed a couple of staples when she came to take them out so i had to get DH to do the ones that were left after fishing the staple remover out of the bin in the kitchen , we did sterilize it first!

mawbroon · 11/08/2009 22:41

Yup. 28 on a 30cm scar.

The midwife said she had never seen so many. But it did heal beautifully and there's only a very faint silver line now, and surprisingly, no staple marks.

BikeRunSki · 11/08/2009 22:51

Dissolvable stiches, Sept 08. No healing probs at all. Neat scar, fading gradually. Lovely, lovely lady surgeon was VERY enthusiastic that I should be able to have a vaginal birth next time, although next time couldn't have been further from my mind at the time.

kateecass · 11/08/2009 23:01

Apparently if section is emergency, you have to have individual stitches (I guess that'd include staples)..to do with healing. I had stitches that needed taking out with both EC's. Youch!!! Each time I bit on something and each time it didn't hurt, but then area around scar is now numb!!

SycamoretreeIsFullOfResolve · 11/08/2009 23:15

I had thread and bead with emergency section in 2005 NHS and staples for an elective section, 2007, Private.

So that goes against the idea the emergency has to be individual stitches.

The private doc at the portland just preferred staples...told me it was ugliest whilst healing, but would give the smallest scar. Can't say I notice the diff between the two - both very faint white lines.

idontbelieveit · 12/08/2009 09:28

I too had dissolvable stitches for emergency and staples for elective (for breech).

Original poster

olivo · 12/08/2009 11:06

hmm,seems to be mostly staples for elective then. must definitely ask! true about the numbness though, i still have numb patch 3 years on.

OP posts:

bellasmama · 12/08/2009 11:29

I had thread and bead for an elective at the Portland, its just down to the personal preference of the obstetrician. Now have the faintest white line.

gasman · 12/08/2009 12:09

It is down to surgical preference.

Most of the surgeons I gas for (or spinal for as it is Obstetrics) seem to use thread and bead but there is the odd person around who doesn't.

Like much in medicine I would advise just allowing them to use what they are comfortable with. Trying to get an experienced practioner to vary their usual practice is asking for trouble IMHO. Better with the devil they know (and can use) than the one they aren't practised with.

Numb patches occur because superficial nerves which supply the skin get cut. It is unavoidable as tiny nerves like that aren't predictable. Often they will grow back and sensation can return.

gasman · 12/08/2009 12:10

Anyway - what is wrong with taking out your own staples - I removed mine after (non obstetric) surgery. Far less faff than getting a practice nurse appointment.

They gave me one of the special staple remover tools when I left the hospital.

Original poster

olivo · 12/08/2009 13:01

absolutely nothing wrong with removing your own staples, but I couldn't!! Can't even get them out of my noticeboards half the time, so wouldn't be keen to try in myself!!

I'd never ask a dr to do something different from their usual practice for the reasons you give - it was just a curiosity really.

OP posts:

SycamoretreeIsFullOfResolve · 12/08/2009 15:03

Most of mine fell out before I had chance to have them taken out.

moaningminniewhingesagain · 12/08/2009 15:45

I had the beads and thread after first CS, crash section, healed nicely but with a long wonky scar.

Second EMCS was individual stitches, half the wound went manky/superficial infection and it hurt when they came out but my MW was v inexperienced with wounds and I think a bit freaked stressed as me and DH were watching her - we are both nurses and much more used to stitches than she was

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