String hanging!

[dcat96]

hi,
Was at Dr yeaterday 5 week post op. Scar looked good although I had what I thought was a pimple at top of scar. Well after washing up this am skin opened and there was a string hanging out! I pulled ever so gently..NOT coming out. Called Dr..At this point I am so squimish about it! Nurse said that it is the material used to sew skin up inside after wire is used for bone. and that "sometimes it comes to surface..told me to snip it and skin will heal over it." Any one have this before??? and what will it be like when healed still a bump with string under it?? YUCK! Nurse did not clearly explain if it would disolve?

 

[Ross]

I had tissue, not string, do that. Yes, just cut it off as close as possible without cutting the skin and you'll be fine.

 

[lb151]

I found 2 pieces of string and something that looked like fishing line. LOL,,my nurse laughed and assured me it wasnt fishing line. We just cut it off close to the skin and am watching to make sure it heals well.

 

[bvdr]

I had sutures coming to the surface too. I think the last time was about 2 or 3 years after surgery. I would just dab it with alcohol and cut it as close to the skin as possible. If you then pull the skin a little then the end may go back inside and you will be neat again. I never had any problem with irritation or infection. It is just one of those weird things.

 

[Adrienne]

I had the sutures sticking out both at the top and the bottom. I kept playing with them, so I finally snipped them off without asking. I think what happens is that the dissolvable stitches don't necessarily dissolve at the two ends because they are on the outside and not as warm as the rest.

 

[hensylee]

had one at ankle where the removed saphenous vein for bypass. it got infected; two trips to pcp for removal. all turned out very well.

 

[dcat96]

Thanks everyone...this has actually grossed me out more than any other part of this whole experience!!! Let's hope 2-3 years from now nothing comes to surface again!!!

 

[RobNDenver]

Me too, at the bottom of my sternal incision there is a little tip of the plastic suture that catches on T-shirts and is just a little creepy. My home health nurse didn't want to snip it, but she suggested that I grab it with a hemostat, pull it out a little and snip it off. Or she said that my surgeon might do that at the follow up visit I have next week.

I think I will do it, so that I can control how far I pull it out. Yikes.

 

[hensylee]

Me too, at the bottom of my sternal incision there is a little tip of the plastic suture that catches on T-shirts and is just a little creepy. My home health nurse didn't want to snip it, but she suggested that I grab it with a hemostat, pull it out a little and snip it off. Or she said that my surgeon might do that at the follow up visit I have next week.

I think I will do it, so that I can control how far I pull it out. Yikes.

now don't go pullin it out so far that you unravel!

sorry, I just couldn't help it.

 

[RobNDenver]

I got it. But when I grabbed it with the clamp my eyes rolled clear back . . . Really, it was no big deal . . . no strings attached.

 

[Jkm7]

Me too, at the bottom of my sternal incision there is a little tip of the plastic suture that catches on T-shirts and is just a little creepy. My home health nurse didn't want to snip it, but she suggested that I grab it with a hemostat, pull it out a little and snip it off. Or she said that my surgeon might do that at the follow up visit I have next week.

I think I will do it, so that I can control how far I pull it out. Yikes.

I'd definitely wait and have the surgeon do it.
If you didn't have the appointment with him, maybe. But seeing as you are going to see him, why mess around?

 

[Pielover]

I had those as well (one each at the top and bottom of my sternal incision). It does take a fair amount of willpower not to mess with them. If you can wait it out, I'd imagine there's much less infection risk if you have the surgeon give them a quick snip when you go in for a follow-up (rather than doing it yourself).