title: [Surgical basic skills: surgical sutures].
abstract: Given the importance of surgery within the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology it is crucial to understand the process of wound healing and the suture available to surgical repair. The selection of the type of suture depends on the tissue and anatomical location. The approximation of wound edges can be made with natural or synthetic suture, mono or multifilament. Three properties of a suture material affect its handling: memory, elasticity and knot strength. Tensile strength, tissue reaction and capability to be absorbed are other important characteristics of the suture material.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Rosário
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorgal
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Alda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montenegro
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D013537:Sutures