Ewwwww! lol, uhm, yeah I'd call the doc immediately. Although sometimes with staples they do internal stitches first, I had that happen. Did you have someone else look at it? Could it be the tubing? I don't have a shunt so I don't know, but yikes. I'd call right away!

Girl I'm on it first thing in the morning lol dang this is just a lil bit creepy !!! My bro looked at it and said um sis u have string commin out ur back...wth??

I panics real easly so I'm hoping its not a tube !!

It could be gauze that was left behind...my friend had that, except it was coming out of her neck after they closed her treach. (sp) let us know what the doc says!

How big/long is the string? Stitches are not typically string. They usually aren't white, and the texture is kind of stiff, compared to say, regular white string that you get on those rolls.

There's something else in there. I'd definitely call your doc.

Please let us know how you are doing.

Maybe there is money attached to it......lol. I smell a lawsuit! haha

It's an internal stitch... the same thing happened to me. Let us know what you find out!!

Okay. I googled.

white stitch internal stitches

THEN

White string surgery

The same thing happened to a hip replacement patient: http://www.surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/index.php?topic=1522.0

Here's a thread from a breast implant site where some woman went through the same thing. http://www.justbreastimplants.com/forum/breast-augmentation-surgery-post-op-recovery-forum/67334-please-look-photos-white-string-just-appeared-coming-out-my-scar.html

And there are a thousand more just like it.

Thanks ladies... my doctors office is Like close to 300 miles away so this sucks..maybe I should see my regular family doc but then again I would rather see the person that did the surgery! If its a internal stich would that mean something out of place or would they have to cut me again.. oh no !!!

Oh miss ella Marie you are too funny I sho wish it was haha LOL

Nichole I hope it anit a gauze cuz UCSF Would hate me so much cuz I would go off..

Jennifer I hope that's what it is but do u think they would do surgery again or cut it? It's not even long at all...

Seasprite..thanks I'm gonna look at the website now ..

Looks like I'm gonna have to take this long trip ...smh

Just tug on it and see what happens.....lol JUST JOKING! If it was an ankle surgery, I probably would poke around myself, seeing as how I did, haha. There are surgery stories up the wazoo I could tell you about my ankle and having things sticking out after surgery, lol. Good luck on finding the money! Why haven't you called the doctor yet?!?!?!?!

I'm a surgical nurse and it definately sounds like a vicryl suture. Meaning....an internal absorbable suture that they would have used to close the inner layers of skin. Sometimes they "spit" to the surface and if the suture comes into contact with air , it will not absorb.

It sounds like an internal stitch that was exposed. I had a very similar thing happen with my abdominal incision. They used internal stitches and staples on the outside. a little piece of the stitch was sticking out when they removed staples. I didn't even notice it until I got home. Let us know what happens. Hopefully they can see you asap.

This happened to my ankle, I was picking a scab and it ended up being dried blood attached to the stitch and I ended up pulling it about an inch out. It was such a strange feeling to have the stitch tighten and move on the inside of my skin. Anywho, I just snipped it with scissors and off I went. Didn't get infected or anything. I can't have a major surgery like that and stare at dried blood, etc. I have to pick it off, oopsies.

Oh no, I'm not gon pick or pull lol I'm afraid if I pull it then I'm gonna be pulling n pulling n pulling until something comes loose in my back..oh heck no lol my neurosurgeon is going to see me tomorrow in SF but this Dr is always so nonchalant about everything..so I'm pretty sure he's gonna say I'm fine...if so he's fired as my NS!!!

Well, I would assume it's just a stitch to be honest. If that's the case, ask him to remedy it somehow, either snipping it or whatnot and that you're uncomfortable with it. If he's so non-chalant, make it sound like it's bothering you physically.

I had this happen on my neck after my surgery to convert to a VA shunt.. Once the internal part of the stitch absorbed the part on the outside just fell off.

Good luck,

TJ