What describes a mattress suture technique?

The mattress suture technique is most accurately characterized by using short lateral stitches. This technique involves creating a series of stitches that go in a horizontal manner across the incision, offering strong tissue approximation and support. The mattress suture can be done in two variations — vertical and horizontal — but both involve passing the needle through the tissue in a way that creates a "mattress" structure.

This structure helps to distribute tension across the tissue, which minimizes the risk of tearing and enhances wound healing. It is particularly useful in situations where there is a need to approximate tissues under tension, such as in closures involving dense or thick tissues. The design of the mattress suture technique promotes better healing and less edge necrosis compared to simple linear techniques, making it a preferred method in many surgical circumstances.

Other choices describe various suturing techniques but do not encapsulate the unique attributes of the mattress suture technique. The continuous stitch technique, for instance, entails one long, uninterrupted line of suture rather than the short lateral stitches characteristic of the mattress suture. Similarly, while minimizing tissue reactivity is a general goal of suturing, it does not specifically define the mattress suture technique. Linear interrupted sutures involve individual stitches without the lateral crossing that characterizes