After removing sutures, what should you do with the dressing?

• A. Remove dressing immediately
• B. Apply antiseptic ointment
• C. Leave wound uncovered
• D. Reapply dressing if necessary

Answer: (D)

After sutures are removed, protecting the healing wound is important. The best action is to reapply a clean dressing if there is drainage or if protection is needed to prevent contamination and support healing. Removing the dressing immediately would expose the wound to contaminants, and leaving it uncovered isn’t advisable when protection is needed. Routine antiseptic ointment isn’t required unless a clinician directs it, since it can irritate the skin or slow healing. So the correct approach is to re-dress the wound as necessary.