152 



ELEMENTARY OPERATIONS. 



Fig. 188.— Simple or Interrupted 

 Suture. 



Fig. 189.— Looped Suture. 



separately. It is made in two ways. By a first procedui'e, with a 

 needle holding a long thread, the surgeon holding both edges of 

 the wound, passes it through both at once, cutting the thread and 

 making each stitch entirely distinct, and tying then only when 

 they are all in place. He begins with the center stitch. 



In the second procediu-e, a separate thread is prepared for 

 each stitch, having a needle at each end, which is passed through 

 the skin from within outward, and, as before, each stitch is tied 

 independently of the others. Often, only a single needle is used, 

 making the first half of the stitch from without inward, and the 

 second half from within outward. 



This suture is used for recent wounds, and those in which 

 there is extensive laceration of the integument. 



2. Looped Suture (Fig. 189). — This is an interrupted suture, 

 in which the threads, instead of being tied vq) separately over the 

 wound, are twisted together on each side, without being tied, in 

 order that each thread may be removed independently of the others, 

 if necessary. The cords are then twisted together, and sometimes 

 tied and sometimes not. 



It was formerly recommended for intestinal wounds, and is but 

 little used at the present time. 



3. Uninterriqyted or Glover's Suture (Fig. 190). — This is a con- 

 tinuous suture, of which the stitches successively cross the wound 

 from both within and without. In making it, the thread is knot- 

 ted at the end, and the needle pushed through the skin at one ex- 

 tremity of one of the borders of the wound, from without inward, 

 and then directly opposite it through the other edge, brought to 



