Medical How do severed capillaries get re-joined on their own after an injury?

[PainterGuy]

Hi,

When a person gets an injury and the skin gets ruptured. The cut is only stitched and some antibacterial ointment and medicine is given so that the infection doesn't develop and the wound can heal properly.

When skin is injured; suppose a person receives a deep cut. There is so much under the skin. There are capillaries network and arteries which supply blood to the cells. There are tissues which bind the skin together and so much more. But they only put the stiches on and the skin or human body knows on its own how to re-connect the severed capillaries and arteries, and the tissues etc. together again. I find this quite amazing. Even when a pipe is broken, one first needs to align the broken parts and then put on some glue to fix it!Could you please elaborate on it a little?

I apologize for making it so informal and possibly quite incorrect but it's been years since I read biology! Thanks for your help, in advance!

 

[Godot_]

The small stuff simply re-grows. All the time. Even bone.

Life and living organisms ain't no machine.

The readaption isn't necessary, unless the severed stuff is either a major nerve or a major lymphatic vessel, an artery of more than a few mm diameter, or a big-ish vein.. Those should and normally will be reconnected whenever possible.

When there's a dearth of blood, cells secrete paracrine hormones that lead to capillaries growing there. And when capillaries have to funnel too much blood, they grow bigger, becoming arterioles, Or minor arteries, etc. etc. And the now-dead-ends atrophy.

But even in the case of major destruction - e.g. a complete axillar dissection, or the removal of a complete lymph node for biopsy, both of which happen not-so-rarely in cancer surgery - the lymphatic ducts will often eventually reconnect. Not always, but amazingly often. If they don't the distal part will have to be treated (i.e. bandaged, or with a compression sleeve or stocking) to prevent lymphatic edema.

In the OP the (skin) cuts are made along existing featureless zones, where no relevant structures are, and hence none will be destroyed. In internal organs those structures are used, too, where existent and possible.

On the nitpicky side: I do hope your surgeon does more than "just stitch it" when the need is there. Typically in the case of ragged cuts, there should be some debridement, too. Also, the infection prevention not only is necessary to prevent the infection itself, but also is relevant for good healing per primam intentionem. If an infection occurs, that is given priority, and defective healing will be caused: The granulocytes will form a palisade against the infected area, attract fibroblasts which then, under the influence of the granulocytes' paracrine hormones, will surround it with cartilagineous tissue. Best observable in an abscess.

HTH

 

[PainterGuy]

Life and living organisms ain't no machine.

Thanks a lot for a very informative answer. So, it's good to know that living organisms are are more of intelligent biological machines with the inherent ability to repair and make fixes to themselves on their own!

 

[DaveE]

I don't think they will ever "rejoin". Your body just makes new capillaries as need during the healing process. This sort of thing is happening all the time.