Closure of Incisions
The way that a surgeon closes an incision after surgery will depend on how that surgeon has been trained, and some surgeons favor certain surgical techniques because those have worked best for them over time.
Your surgeon may close the incision using one or a combination of these methods:
- Dissolvable stitches
- Surgical glue
- Non-resorbable stitches, which need to be removed
- Staples
It is important that patients have a discussion with their surgeons about how the incision will be closed, so they know what to expect after surgery.
The material that a surgeon uses to close the incision can cause a reaction in the body because the body reacts to all foreign objects. Surgeons will generally select a material like non-reactive stitches to try to minimize the effect on the patient.
Patients should be provided with instructions for how to properly care for their incision after surgery to minimize the chances for infection. If that information is not provided, it is reasonable for a patient to ask for guidance on how to care for their incision.
For more information about how to properly care for your incision, click here to watch Video 9 in the Mayo Clinic Parotid Tumor Guide series.
