Question from Karen
I would love some input from anyone who has had a similar experience or who has a suggestion.
I am scheduled for gyne surgury the end of this month. I am very chemically sensitive to chemicals, especially petrochemicals. I’ve been told that the sutures need to be absorbable. The surgeon’s office stafff said they typically POLYSORB, PDS or MAXON sutures.
My surgeon is under the impression (from the manufacture) that anything the FDA has approved is fine and that even though the materials are made from chemicals, they are all inert.
I have previous surgeries resulting in systemic and local reactions that continue to be troublesome. In looking at my surgerical reports, I see that the sutures contained Vicryl, Copolymer lactic and glycolic acid,and/or a Polyester-polymer, and possibly formaldehyde in the manufacturing process. I also have had titanium staples from a surgery which my body rejected and had a titanium pin put in my arm and finally removed due to a painful reaction. Doctors are taught that titanium is 100% fine for all patients which is not accurate.
I would love to have the surgeon use something like silk, but the suture needs to be absorbable.
I asked the surgeon’s office if they have an example of each type of suture so I could “test” taping it to my skin (with paper tape)for 24 hours and see if my body reacts. “They” said that they don’t have any samples in the office. I can tell that they already think I am over the top.
Debra’s Answer
Readers?
