hi! I'm having a TAH on Aug.10th and i would like to know if there is any internal ..

stitches and how many? also, if you got stitches or staples on the outside? thank you for sharing! I was just curious about the number of internal & external stitches! Plus how did you keep your outer stitches clean!

Yes, there are internal stithes. There can be up to hundreds of them. It depends on what you have done. It also depends on whether or not you have adhesions from previous surgeries and other things. I personally did not have stitches on the outer layer of skin that could be seen. The under layers of skin had stitches that dissolved. I did not have staples, but was 'glued.' My incision was 10 1/2 inches long. After the glue was placed on my incision, there was a special substance put over it that kept it dry and protected.

Please remember that everyone is different and all doctors are different. Your doctor should be able to tell you if you will have external stitches or staples and approximately how many he/she thinks there will be.

Everything was internal for me. I had nothing on my incision site so, I did not have any special instructions on taking care of that area.

My 8" bikini incision had 25 staples and 2 rows of stitches underneath the skin. My dr took the bandaging off my incision the morning after surgery and told me to wash it gently with my hands and soap and water (not rub or scrub) and then to pat it dry. After the staples came out a week later, the glue and steri stips went on and I continued cleaning it the same way. A few stitches came out as the steri strips fell off and the incision is all closed now. Since the dr took the bandaging off that morning, there has been nothing covering my incision.

There may be hundreds of internal stitches like mentioned. I had 26 staples on my incision. Once they were taken out, I had steri strips put on my incision until they fell off. I didn't have any glue like some people did.

My incision was 10 inches long and went thru my belly button. My doctor used dissolvable stiches and then covered them with steri-strips. After that, the whole area was bandaged.

The bandage was taken off the next day after surgery, so that the incision would start to dry. I was told that when I took a shower to just let the soap and water run over the incision and not to rub it. Then, afterwards, pat the area dry and most important, to take a blow dryer and dry the incision area. My doctor explained that steri-strips hold moisture and that he wanted the area as dry as possible, hence the blow dryer.

At my first post-op appt., my doctor removed my steri-strips (they stayed firmly attached for two weeks) and said that my incision looked fantastic. When I got home, I had a chance to look at it for the first time, and I agree. My incision is flat and smooth, and no infection (it simply looks as though someone took a magic marker and drew a line along my stomach)

I totally attribute the way my incision looks to, of course, the sewing skills of my doctor, but to also keeping the area dry by using a blow dryer.

I had 30 staples on outside, and of course as the other ladies mentioned hundreds of stitches on the inside. That why you have to be so careful to rest and not over do it. My stomach is healing nicely, I made sure to keep it covered and allowed water to run on it and pat it dry carefully.

I had 10 staples on my bikini cut incision. Have no clue how many internal stitiches...probably a lot!

Hi Pinrock,
I had my TAH/BSO 7 weeks ago tomorrow and from what I was told post op by my doc, I had 110 - 120 internal stitches. on the outside my incision is about 10 inches long and was covered with steri strip, the clear liquid bandaid stuff. It took a few weeks to wear off a little at a time. then I had to use vasoline to get the rest off. some people have said they had their internal stitches "fall out", but that never happened to me. they just dissolved I guess. good luck to you.

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Originally Posted by pinkrocks stitches and how many? also, if you got stitches or staples on the outside? thank you for sharing! I was just curious about the number of internal & external stitches! Plus how did you keep your outer stitches clean!

Hello. I'm 12 days post op. I had a tah with a vertical incision. I had 29 staples with stitches internally. After a few days out of the hospital, the staples inside my belly button busted open and then I had a real mess. It is currently infected and I'm on antibiotics now. I have an open wound where my belly button should be. I pray if you are having staples with a vertical incision, you have better success. Good luck.