UW General Surgery Technical and Professional Skills

Wound Closure: Subcuticular Interrupted and Running

Simple Subcuticular

This technique is used to bury or hide the suture and knot. In the videos we use silk suture so that it is easy to see, but in reality you should use an absorbable suture.

Simple Subcuticular common errors

The most common error occurs when the two ends of the suture come out on either side of the wound. This causes the knot to sit on top of the suture instead of tucking underneath. The wound will not come together as well and the knot will not bury.

The other common error is that the learner forgets to start the knot deep to the tissue and instead starts from superficial to deep. This causes the knot to stick up rather than burying appropriatelty.

Running Subcuticular:

Running Subcuticular Common Errors:

Self Assessment:

Expert Assessment: