We all know what it’s like to find random purple, blue, and green bruises on spontaneous parts of our bodies without having any idea where the marks came from or how to prevent such things from happening in the future. We also continually experience the random and unpredictable outbursts of acne, pimples, and blackheads. But not many could attest to finding a 3-year-old stitch in their bodies!
The Results Of Some Simple Stitches
According to the Encyclopedia of Surgery, “Stitches and staples are two methods by which a wound may be closed. Stitches use specialized needles and thread to ‘sew’ a wound closed. Staples are thin pieces of metal that are placed with a stapling device through the edges of a wound to hold it closed”. (1) Stitches are by far the most common means of closing a substantial wound or cut longer than a half-inch or 12 millimeters long. (1, 3)
Back in the year of 2013, a gentleman from Memphis, Tennessee was involved in a serious accident that ultimately resulted in him receiving well over 100 stitches in one of his legs. (2) While most sutures are responsibly removed after several days or several weeks, this didn’t turn out to be the case for this man from Memphis. (2)
Per the Encyclopedia of Surgery, “Non-absorbable stitches should be removed several days to weeks after their placement, depending on their location. For instance, sutures on the face should be removed in approximately 5 days; sutures on the legs and abdomen, in 7 to 10 days; and sutures on the back, in 10 to 14 days. Strips of adhesive tape may be placed over the wound to help support the tissue while it is healing”. (1) The idea of stitches being left inside one’s body is medically unheard of.
Accidents Can Always Happen
In the case of the man in Memphis, however, somehow some of his stitches remained inside his leg for three full years (2)!
The man’s leg continually itched, and always in one spot, sometimes to such a severity that the man ended up breaking through skin and drawing blood from scratching so hard. (2) Then one day, he noticed something strange.
While scratching at his leg about three years after his accident and receiving his stitches, he noticed something that resembled a small, plastic black wire poking out of his leg. (2) Unable to resist, he began to pull, ultimately removing a fully intact stitch from his leg. (2) He ended up removing eight stitches total, recording a video of the removal of one. He uploaded that video back in 2016 and has since gained millions of views. (4)
Maybe It’s Your Thing?
If you’re into pimple-popping videos, then you’ll likely be interested in watching a video of stitch-removal. So if you dare to, take a look at the video he posted and watch three-year-old stitches be removed!
