question on vaginal sutures

I'm scheduled for a LAVH on 8-15. A question that I haven't seen posted yet is about the sutures that create the "vaginal cuff". Do all surgeons leave a cuff? Is it anatomically posible to be sutured differently? And here's the big question: Do the sutures itch?? I have the most comical and miserable image of an itchy suture way up there! giggles!

Cathy

Hmmmm.....
I wonder if there's such a thing as a vagina scratcher.

Cathy,
I really don't know why they call it a cuff. They just sew the top of the vagina shut. I would think they'd have to but I'm no expert. My sutures didn't itch at all. Of course I had a TAH/BSO so my belly itched so much I probably wouldn't have noticed anything else. lol I know I had a million questions before and after mine but everything turned out fine for me and I'm sure you'll do great. Good luck and God bless.

I had a TVH/BSO with A&P repairs. My vaginal cuff was sutured, but it doesn't absolutely have to be. Some DRs (a small minority) sometimes leave it open to allow it to heal on its own, which it does.

I didn't feel any itching up inside, only on the stitches in the perineum from the posterior repair.

s,
-Linda

I thought they had to sew it closed. I didn't feel any itching. It was a little uncomfortable when I had my first internal, though. The stitches took a long time to heal.

Hi Cathy - my MD likened it to a sock - it has to have an end otherwise you leave an opening into your abdomen. The sutures did not itch, sometimes I felt a little pulling there, which I could feel and define as the top of my vagina as opposed to the sutures in my abdomen. I had my 4 week check up yesterday - my MD said the pulling sensation was healing. Expect some discharge while the site heals the the sutures dissolve - and Rebecca is right, the internal was uncomfortable, I felt crampy last night...but glad to know everything is healing "perfectly" - the MD said she couldn't have asked for a better result - for which I am thankful.

Good luck to you!

Thanks for the input, ladies! I'm glad to hear all is well on the healing for you and it's nice to have an idea of what to expect. This site is such a gem for asking quirky questions that pop into your head!

Cathy

A&P repair stitches itched so much that I couldn't have told if the cuff stitches were itching, too.

However, my vag cuff was not completely healed at 6mo post op. Had to start using premarin cream (besides Dr may have used silver oxide (is that the correct name?) again on cuff area when I had a 2nd posterior surgery) to fully heal the vag cuff... hopefully.

Will find out when I go for Dr visit this week.