I had an ACLr w/patella autograph almost two weeks ago. I have a 2in lateral incision running north and south and an incision over the patella about 4in running north and south. Both incisions were covered with SteriStrips so today was the first day I've had a chance to take a peak at the incisions. Both appear to have been closed at the skin with a tissue glue either dermabond or indermil. That's fine but I have a strand of prolene, blue suture, exiting the skin from underneth at each end of the incision approximately a half in away from the end of the incision at each end. It looks to be the ends of a running suture for the fascia but I'm not sure. How do they remove this? It's non-absorbable material and doesn't seem to be an interrupted suture stitch. Any info would be appreciated. I work in the medical field, just not Ortho, so haven't seen this before. I see my OS tomorrow.

Got an answer from a teammate I work with that sells suture. OS's use this type of closure on joints because it's tight enough to close the inner part of the incision without hindering movement. Same reason they probably use surgical glue at the skin incision site as well as better cosmisis. It's basically a running stitch that I'm told they can just pull on and it will just release from the inner incision. I've had enough tissue in-growth so the suture is no longer needed to hold the tissue together. Sort of like just pulling a rip cord. This technique also allows for no knots in the incision which can be problematic at a joint as well. I don't work with OS's so was unsure what this was. Most incisions I see with a run like this is done with a absorbable barbbed suture and that's not the suture I have so I was confused. I do think I may puke when he pulls it out tomorrow. I may take an Oxy before my appointment just in case.

Had this with a surgery and is not at all painful when removed. 

YAY.  Happy dance (with arms only).

Update, my incisions look sweet! Very little redness/scabbing between the skin and incisions are very smooth. I've seen some incisions that are straight but bumpy and uneven. I highly recommend anyone having surgery to request their OS to close the incision with sutures, not staples. There's a reason why plastic surgeons don't use staples. I also confirmed the resident closed my incision and since he's still learning he took a lot longer than what some attendings would and I'm thankful for that. My previous conversation with my OS I told him I had no problem with a resident doing the closure as long as the cosmisis wouldn't be compromised. I'm very happy with the outcome right now and will have my other knee done the same way by the Dr. as soon as this one is ready.

i wished i saw your post earlier.

that is perfectly normal.

i went to a GP to have my sutures removed and she was like. "I hate to remove this kind of suture. I'm sorry." And she pulled it out from one end. Yea - the whole string runs under your skin and it stings quite a bit.

Good luck with recovery