Staples or Sutures to Close a C-Section, What is Best?

C Section: Staples or Sutres?An interesting blog article, “Staples vs. Sutures After C-Section” was brought to my attention yesterday. It was written by Nicholas Bakalar and published in the NY Times Well section on July 9, 2014. Click HERE for the article

If you are having a C-Section you might want to ask your doctor what he or she will use to close up your incision. Do they plan on using staples or sewing up your wound with sutures? A study published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that STAPLES ARE FASTER, BUT SUTURES ARE SAFER.There are some women with certain medical conditions who benefit from faster closure with staples, but overall, the study found that there are less complications if a the incision is closed with sutures.

In my physical therapy practice I have treated many women after they have had a C-Section delivery. I have noticed that the women who have suture closures rather then staples seem to have less scar tissue adhesions and less painful complications, such as pelvic pain and lower abdominal pain. I would love to see a study done on the long-term effects of sutures vs. staples in C-Section closures.