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1. A form of fibrous joint in which two bones formed in membrane are united by a fibrous membrane continuous with the periosteum. SYN: sutura [TA], s. joint. 2. To unite two surfaces by sewing. SYN: stitch (3). 3. The material (silk thread, wire, synthetic material, etc.) with which two surfaces are kept in apposition. 4. The seam so formed, a surgical s.. [L. sutura, a seam]
- absorbable surgical s. a surgical s. material prepared from a substance that can be dissolved by body tissues and is therefore not permanent; it is available in various diameters and tensile strengths; the rate of disappearance of strength depends on the characteristics of the s. material.
- Albert s. a modified Czerny s., the first row of stitches passing through the entire thickness of the wall of the gut.
- approximation s. a s. that pulls together the deep tissues.
- atraumatic s. a s. swaged onto the end of an eyeless needle.
- bridle s. a s. passed beneath the superior rectus muscle to rotate the globe downward in eye surgery.
- button s. a s. in which the threads are passed through the holes of a button and then tied; used to reduce the danger of the threads cutting through the flesh.
- coaptation s. SYN: apposition s..
- cobbler's s. SYN: doubly armed s..
- Connell s. a continuous s. used for inverting the gastric or intestinal walls in performing an anastomosis.
- continuous s. an uninterrupted series of stitches using one s.; the stitching is fastened at each end by a knot. SYN: spiral s., uninterrupted s..
- control release s. eyeless s. with thread attached to a needle such that the two separate when tension is applied to the thread.
- coronal s. [TA] the line of junction of the frontal with the two parietal bones of the skull. SYN: sutura coronalis [TA].
- Cushing s. a running horizontal mattress s. used to approximate two adjacent surfaces.
- Czerny s. the first row of the Czerny-Lembert intestinal s.; the needle enters the serosa and passes out through the submucosa or muscularis, and then enters the submucosa or muscularis of the opposite side and emerges from the serosa.
- Czerny-Lembert s. an intestinal s. in two rows combining the Czerny s. (first) and the Lembert s. (second).
- dentate s. SYN: serrate s..
- doubly armed s. a s. with a needle attached at both ends. SYN: cobbler's s..
- ethmoidolacrimal s. [TA] the line of union of the orbital plate of the ethmoid and the posterior margin of the lacrimal bone. SYN: sutura ethmoidolacrimalis [TA].
- ethmoidomaxillary s. [TA] line of apposition of the orbital surface of the body of the maxilla with the orbital plate of the ethmoid bone. SYN: sutura ethmoidomaxillaris [TA].
- Faden s. a s. placed between an ocular rectus muscle and the posterior sclera to limit excessive action of the eyeball. [Ger. Faden, thread, twine]
- false s. one whose opposing margins are smooth or present only a few ill-defined projections. SYN: sutura notha.
- far-and-near s. an interrupted s. using alternate near and far stitches, used to approximate fascial edges.
- figure-of-8 s. a s. using criss-cross stitches to approximate fascial edges or the musculofascial and outer layers of an abdominal wound.
- frontal s. the s. between the two halves of the frontal bone, usually obliterated by about the sixth year; if persistent it is called a metopic s. or sutura frontalis persistens. SYN: sutura frontalis.
- frontoethmoidal s. [TA] line of union between the cribriform plate of the ethmoid and the orbital plate and posterior margin of the nasal process of the frontal bone. SYN: sutura frontoethmoidalis [TA].
- frontolacrimal s. [TA] line of union between the upper margin of the lacrimal and the orbital plate of the frontal bone. SYN: sutura frontolacrimalis [TA].
- frontomaxillary s. [TA] articulation of the frontal process of the maxilla with the frontal bone. SYN: sutura frontomaxillaris [TA].
- frontonasal s. [TA] line of union of the frontal and of the two nasal bones. SYN: sutura frontonasalis [TA], sutura nasofrontalis.
- frontozygomatic s. [TA] line of union between the zygomatic process of the frontal and the frontal process of the zygomatic bone. SYN: sutura frontozygomatica [TA], sutura zygomaticofrontalis.
- Gély s. a cobbler's s. used in closing intestinal wounds.
- Gould s. an intestinal mattress s. in which each loop is invaginated in such a way that the tissue at the loop is bulged out, becoming convex instead of concave.
- Gussenbauer s. a figure-of-8 s. for the intestine, resembling the Czerny-Lembert s. but not including the mucous membrane.
- implanted s. passage of a pin through each lip of the wound parallel to the line of incision, the pins then being looped together with sutures.
- incisive s. [TA] line of union of the two portions of the maxilla (pre- and postmaxilla); it is present at birth but may persist into old age. SYN: sutura incisiva [TA], premaxillary s..
- infraorbital s. [TA] an inconstant s. running from the infraorbital foramen to the infraorbital groove. SYN: sutura infraorbitalis [TA].
- interparietal s. SYN: sagittal s..
- interrupted s. a series of single stitches, the ends of each s. tied together.
- Jobert de Lamballe s. an interrupted intestinal s., used for invaginating the margins of the intestines in circular enterorrhaphy.
- lacrimoconchal s. [TA] line of union of the lacrimal bone with the inferior nasal concha. SYN: sutura lacrimoconchalis [TA].
- lacrimomaxillary s. [TA] line of union, on the medial wall of the orbit, between the anterior and inferior margin of the lacrimal bone and the maxilla. SYN: sutura lacrimomaxillaris [TA].
- lambdoid s. [TA] the inverted λ-shaped line of union between the occipital and the parietal bones. SYN: sutura lambdoidea [TA].
- Lembert s. the second row of the Czerny-Lembert intestinal s.; an inverting s. for intestinal surgery, used either as a continuous s. or interrupted s., producing serosal apposition and including the collagenous submucosal layer but not entering the lumen of the intestine.
- locking s. a running s. in which the s. material is made to pass through the loop made from the previous stitch. SYN: lock stitch.
- mattress s. a s. utilizing a double stitch that forms a loop about the tissue on both sides of a wound, producing eversion of the edges when tied. SYN: quilted s..
- median palatine s. [TA] line of union between the horizontal plates of the palatine bones, continuing the intermaxillary s. posteriorly. SYN: sutura palatina mediana [TA].
- metopic s. [TA] a persistent frontal s., sometimes discernible a short distance above sutura frontonasalis. SEE ALSO: frontal s.. SYN: sutura metopica [TA], persistent frontal s., sutura frontalis persistens.
- nasomaxillary s. [TA] line of union of the lateral margin of the nasal bone with the frontal process of the maxilla. SYN: sutura nasomaxillaris [TA].
- nerve s. SYN: neurorrhaphy.
- neurocentral s. SYN: neurocentral synchondrosis.
- nonabsorbable surgical s. surgical s. material that is relatively unaffected by the biologic activities of the body tissues and is therefore permanent unless removed; e.g., stainless steel, silk, cotton, nylon, and other synthetic materials.
- occipitomastoid s. [TA] continuation of the lambdoid s. between the posterior border of the petrous portion of the temporal bone and the occipital. SYN: sutura occipitomastoidea [TA].
- palatoethmoidal s. [TA] line of junction of the orbital process of the palatine bone and the orbital plate of the ethmoid. SYN: sutura palatoethmoidalis [TA].
- palatomaxillary s. [TA] line of union, in the floor of the orbit, between the orbital process of the palatine bone and the orbital surface of the maxilla. SYN: sutura palatomaxillaris [TA].
- Paré s. the approximation of the edges of a wound by pasting strips of cloth to the surface and stitching them instead of the skin.
- parietomastoid s. [TA] articulation of the posterior inferior angle of the parietal with the mastoid process of the temporal bone. SYN: sutura parietomastoidea [TA].
- petrosquamous s. petrosquamous fissure.
- plane s. [TA] a simple firm apposition of two smooth surfaces of bones, without overlap, as seen in the lacrimomaxillary s.. SYN: sutura plana [TA], harmonia, harmonic s..
- pledgetted s. a s. supported by a small piece of fabric or tissue so that the s. will not tear through the tissue.
- premaxillary s. SYN: incisive s..
- purse-string s. a continuous s. placed in a circular manner either for inversion (as for an appendiceal stump) or closure (as for a hernia).
- quilted s. SYN: mattress s..
- relaxation s. a s. so arranged that it may be loosened if the tension of the wound becomes excessive.
- retention s. a heavy reinforcing s. placed deep within the muscles and fasciae of the abdominal wall to relieve tension on the primary s. line. SYN: tension s..
- sagittal s. [TA] midline union between the two parietal bones. SYN: sutura sagittalis [TA], interparietal s., sutura interparietalis.
- serrate s. [TA] one whose opposing margins present deep sawlike indentations, as most of the sagittal s.. SYN: sutura serrata [TA], dentate s..
- shotted s. a s. in which the ends are fastened by passing through a split shot (a partially divided lead pellet) which is then compressed.
- sphenoethmoidal s. [TA] line of union between the crest of the sphenoid bone and the perpendicular and cribriform plates of the ethmoid. SYN: sutura sphenoethmoidalis [TA].
- sphenofrontal s. [TA] line of union between the orbital plate of the frontal and the lesser wings of the sphenoid on either side. SYN: sutura sphenofrontalis [TA].
- sphenomaxillary s. [TA] an inconstant s. between the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone and the body of the maxilla. SYN: sutura sphenomaxillaris [TA].
- sphenooccipital s. SYN: sphenooccipital synchondrosis.
- spheno- orbital s. articulation between the orbital process of the palatine bone and the outer surface of the body of the sphenoid. SYN: sutura spheno- orbitalis.
- sphenoparietal s. [TA] line of union of the lower border of the parietal with the upper edge of the greater wing of the sphenoid. SYN: sutura sphenoparietalis [TA].
- sphenosquamous s. [TA] articulation of the greater wing of the sphenoid with the squamous portion of the temporal bone. SYN: sutura sphenosquamosa [TA].
- sphenovomerine s. [TA] the line of union of the vaginal process of the sphenoid with the wing of the vomer. SYN: sutura sphenovomeriana [TA].
- sphenozygomatic s. [TA] junction of the zygomatic bone and greater wing of the sphenoid. SYN: sutura sphenozygomatica [TA].
- spiral s. SYN: continuous s..
- squamomastoid s. [TA] line of union of the squamous and petrous portions of the temporal bone during development; it sometimes persists in the region of the mastoid process. SYN: sutura squamosomastoidea [TA].
- squamoparietal s. the articulation of the parietal with the squamous portion of the temporal bone. SYN: sutura squamoparietalis (2).
- squamous s. [TA] a scalelike s., one whose opposing margins are scalelike and overlapping; SYN: sutura squamoparietalis (1).
- subcuticular s. Halsted s..
- temporozygomatic s. line of junction of the zygomatic process of the temporal and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone. SYN: sutura temporozygomatica [TA], sutura zygomaticotemporalis, zygomaticotemporal s..
- tendon s. SYN: tenorrhaphy.
- transfixion s. 1. a criss-cross stitch so placed as to control bleeding from a tissue surface or small vessel when tied; 2. a s. used to fix the columella to the nasal septum.
- transverse palatine s. [TA] line of union of the palatine processes of the maxillae with the horizontal plates of the palatine bones. SYN: sutura palatina transversa [TA].
- tympanomastoid s. SYN: tympanomastoid fissure.
- uninterrupted s. SYN: continuous s..
- wedge-and-groove s. SYN: schindylesis.
- zygomaticomaxillary s. [TA] articulation of the zygomatic bone with the zygomatic process of the maxilla. SYN: sutura zygomaticomaxillaris [TA].
- zygomaticotemporal s. SYN: temporozygomatic s..
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su·ture 'sü-chər n
1 a) a stitch made with a suture
b) a strand or fiber used to sew parts of the living body
c) the act or process of sewing with sutures
2 a) the line of union in an immovable articulation (as between the bones of the skull) also such an articulation
b) a furrow at the junction of adjacent bodily parts
suture vt, su·tured; su·tur·ing 'süch-(ə-)riŋ to unite, close, or secure with sutures <\suture a wound>
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1. n. (in anatomy) a type of immovable joint, found particularly in the skull, that is characterized by a minimal amount of connective tissue between the two bones. The cranial sutures include the coronal suture, between the frontal and parietal bones; the lambdoidal suture, between the parietal and occipital bones; and the , between the two parietal bones.
2. n. (in surgery) the closure of a wound or incision with material such as silk or catgut, to facilitate the healing process. There is a wide variety of suturing techniques developed to meet the differing circumstances of injuries to and incisions in the body tissues.
3. n. the material - silk, catgut, nylon, any of various polymers, or wire - used to sew up a wound.
4. vb. to close a wound by suture.
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su·ture (sooґchər) [L. sutura a seam] 1. sutura. 2. one loop of thread or similar material used to secure apposition of the edges of a surgical or accidental wound; called also stitch. 3. the material used in thus closing a wound; see absorbable s. and nonabsorbable s. 4. to unite the edges of a wound using loops of thread or other material; called also stitch.
PLATE 41 VARIOUS TYPES OF SUTURES
For descriptions of specific anatomic structures not listed here, see under sutura.
Medical dictionary. 2011.