The Horizontal Mattress Suture

The horizontal mattress suture. The horizontal mattress suture is suitable for reducing tension in wound areas but often causes pressure on the skin underneath the suture and can thus leave scars. It is particularly suitable if the wound is subject to tension or movement due to its location (e.g. elbows, knees) or if the skin has become fragile from advanced age or long-term cortisone treatment, for example. In such cases, a simple suture can cut through the skin, when closing a biopsy wound, for instance.

Picture and text: Alexander Salava