[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Procedures](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/procedures/) › Removing sutures and staples # Removing sutures and staples - Procedure With an order and a well-closed wound, sutures or staples are removed alternately and the line is supported with adhesive strips. Updated Nov 5, 2026 ## Key points - You need an order and a wound with well-approximated edges. - Remove every other one first; if the edges separate, stop, approximate them with adhesive strips and report. - Suture: cut under the knot, close to the skin, on one side only, and pull by the knot; never pull the outside part through the skin. - Staple: the remover squeezes the middle of the staple so its ends lift out; do not lift while squeezing. - Count the staples removed and compare with the number placed. ## What it is Non-absorbable sutures and staples are usually removed between 7 and 14 days, depending on healing and the type of surgery. The clinician who closed or treats the wound decides when to remove them and writes the order. Before starting, check that the edges are joined, with no exudate, redness or swelling. Usually every other suture or staple is removed first; if the edges stay together, the rest are removed. Adhesive wound-closure strips support the wound while it finishes healing. ## Indications - An order to remove non-absorbable sutures or staples. - A healed wound with joined edges, usually between 7 and 14 days. - Removal in two stages (alternate ones, then the rest) when ordered. ## Contraindications and precautions - Do not remove if the edges are not joined or there is exudate, redness or swelling: discuss the order with the clinician in charge. - Absorbable sutures are not removed. - Explain that it is usually not painful but they may feel pulling or pinching. - Use clean or sterile gloves according to the wound type, depth and location. ## Equipment - Sterile suture scissors and forceps, or a sterile staple remover. - A sterile dressing set, saline or wound cleanser, and gauze. - Adhesive wound-closure strips and a sterile outer dressing if needed. - Gloves and a sharps container. ## Step by step (and why) - Confirm the order, identify the patient and explain — removing without an order or too early can open the wound. - Remove the dressing and assess the wound: edges, exudate, redness, swelling — if it is not ready, they stay in. - Clean the suture line with saline — it lowers the risk of germs entering the needle holes. - Suture: lift the knot with forceps and cut beneath it, close to the skin, on one side only — so nothing contaminated passes through the skin. - Pull by the knot in one movement and lay the suture on sterile gauze — one smooth movement is less uncomfortable. - Staple: slide the lower tip of the remover under the staple and close the handle without lifting — the ends come out without tearing skin. - Remove every other one and check the edges after each — if they open, you stop in time. - Apply adhesive strips along the incision — they support the wound while it finishes healing. - Count what was removed, discard sharps and record — the count confirms nothing was left in the skin. ## Complications - Dehiscence: the edges separate as sutures or staples are removed. - A retained suture or staple, which can become infected. - Infection from pulling the outside part of a suture through the skin. - Minor bleeding or pain at one point of the incision. ## Next step: when to call for help - If the edges separate, stop, approximate them with adhesive strips and tell the clinician in charge. - Report exudate, redness or swelling seen before removal: the wound may not be ready. - Report a suture or staple that will not come out, or a count that does not match. - Teach the patient to seek care if the wound opens, oozes pus or turns red in the following days. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## Where is a simple interrupted suture cut to remove it? Under the knot, as close to the skin as possible and on one side only. It is then pulled by the knot so the outside part does not pass through the skin. ## Why is every other suture or staple removed first? To check that the edges stay together. If they separate, removal stops, the edges are approximated with adhesive strips and it is reported. ## When are non-absorbable sutures and staples usually removed? Usually between 7 and 14 days, depending on how the wound has healed and the type of surgery, always with an order. ## What is done after removing staples? They are counted and compared with the number placed, discarded as sharps, and adhesive strips are applied along the incision. [Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/nursing/removing-sutures-and-staples/) ## Connections ## Related 2 - [Wound care and dressings: cleaning and choosing a dressing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/wound-care-and-dressings-cleaning-and-choosing-a-dressing/) - [Wound assessment: bed, edges, exudate and signs of infection](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/wound-assessment-bed-edges-exudate-and-signs-of-infection/) [← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order. Sources: [Nursing Skills, 10.10: Checklist for Intermittent Suture Removal](https://med.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_South_Carolina_Upstate/Nursing_Skills_(OpenRN)/10%3A_Wound_Care/10.10%3A_Checklist_for_Intermittent_Suture_Removal) (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College (via LibreTexts), 2021); [Nursing Skills, 10.11: Checklist for Staple Removal](https://med.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_South_Carolina_Upstate/Nursing_Skills_(OpenRN)/10%3A_Wound_Care/10.11%3A_Checklist_for_Staple_Removal) (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College (via LibreTexts), 2021). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/nursing/removing-sutures-and-staples/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/removing-sutures-and-staples/