Sutures & Wound Care in Costa Rica

Physician examines wound: location, depth, length, tissue damage, contamination. Determine if wound appropriate for suturing (ideally <12-24 hours old, no signs of infection). Clean wound thoroughly with sterile saline to remove debris and reduce infection risk. May irrigate deeply contaminated wounds.

Local anesthetic (lidocaine) injected around wound to numb area. Once numb, physician closes wound using appropriate suture technique: simple interrupted sutures, continuous running sutures, vertical/horizontal mattress sutures. Suture type selected based on wound location and tension. Takes 15-60 minutes depending on complexity.

Apply antibiotic ointment and sterile dressing. Provide detailed wound care instructions: keep clean and dry, change dressing daily, watch for infection signs (redness, warmth, pus, fever). Prescribe antibiotics if contaminated wound or infection risk. Schedule suture removal in 5-14 days depending on location.

Return for suture removal once wound healed. Timing varies by location: face 5-7 days, scalp 7-10 days, trunk/arms 7-10 days, legs 10-14 days, joints 14 days. Quick, usually painless removal. Physician checks wound healing, provides scar care advice.