106 WOUND TREATMENT 



In the short, interrupted sutures, which only pinch up 

 the very edges of the skin, lies the secret of success. The 

 greatest error of suturing wounds of animals seems to 

 have been that of putting in long interrupted sutures. 

 These prevent union by blocking the circulation, while 

 the short sutures, which pick up only little bits of skin, 

 permit the circulation of the blood freely to the very 

 edges, where it is most needed. 



The wound is now well repaired, and the skin flap is 

 neatly approximated to the other edge of the wound with- 

 out stretching. That is, there is no strain on the flap; 

 it lies comfortably in the place where it properly belongs. 

 There is, however, still some danger of damage from 

 movements of the underlying muscles, despite this perfect 

 apposition of the edges of the skin. This danger we re- 

 duce to the minimum by fixing the skin down to the 

 body with Mayo 's running loop, put in from one to three 

 inches apart, according to the amount of strain to which 

 the flap will be subjected by movements and edema. On 

 prominent convexities of the body, such as buttocks or 

 shoulder, there will be more strain than in flat places like 

 the forehead or costal surface. In the former these loop 

 sutures are placed close together ; in the latter, they may 

 not be needed at all. It is our judgment after several 

 years of trial, in many wounds treated, that the resort 

 to the use of Mayo's running loop is the greatest boon 

 to wound suturing in animals. Without them we have 

 failed even when everything else was done well and con- 

 ditions were favorable. Since resorting to them we sel- 

 dom fail to heal these wounds promptly. 



For those readers who are not acquainted with this 

 special suture, and especially for those who have no access 

 to literature in which it is described, the following de- 

 scription is given: 



"Mayo's running loop" is a series of continuous loops 



