SAH 4 days post hysterectomy: Incision care/incision size???

My doctor said I could take off the dressing today. She used glue on the incision. I just removed the dressing but now what?
Aside from keeping it dry and not picking the glue off, am I supposed to do anything special? Let it air dry?
Also, there seems to be so many different way to close these incisions. Stitches, staples, glue etc. Why?
My incision is kinda small. My Dr had mentioned she has become pretty good at small incisions. Mine looks like it's about 3 1/2 inches long.
Anyone else have SAH? How's your incision?

While I had a TLH, My doc did have to make a 3" bikini line incision to get everything out. With regards to incisions, each doc has their way of closing their incisions. I have dissolvable stitches inside and steri strips outside for my incision. My discharge instructions said that I could take a shower after 48 hours and when taking a shower do not let the shower spray hit the incision directly, but to soap above it and let the soapy water run down over my incision site. When coming out of the shower, I just pat dried the site and left it at that. My incision site looks good to me for six weeks post-op. Your discharge instructions should have something about incision care.

I assume they are all different based on need of incision and surgeon preference on closure. I had TLH and have four small incisions. Some of the strips have popped off, some still on. Although they are small, they are nerve wracking as I don't see stitches and am not sure what the Dr used to close them. My husband looked in my belly button and said that one is a more exposed/open type incision. I have just been covering them with a large bandage and leaving them alone. I also don't know what else is supposed to be done with them???

I had a TAH and my 7" vertical incision was closed with staples, at least on the outside. (There may have been dissolvable stitches inside?) I suspect that the method used to close the incision depends somewhat on incision size but also a lot on what's standard in that particular hospital and/or healthcare system as well as what that particular doctor is in the habit of using. That said, I had knee surgery in Maine in 1997 and the incision was closed with staples. I had a hysterectomy in New Brunswick in 2013 and the incision was closed with staples. Maybe there's just something about me that causes surgeons to reach for their staple gun?

Because I had abdominal surgery, I had a three-day hospital stay. A nurse removed the dressing before I was discharged. She told me to keep the incision clean and dry. When showering I should soap the area *above* the incision and let the soapy water run down over it. Let clear water run down to rinse, then *pat* (don't rub) dry afterwards.

I had the staples until day 13, when I had them replaced at a local clinic by steri-strips. I was told to keep the strips at least a week, but ended peeling them off ten days later.

My incision itched a lot, so I applied Benadryl gel *alongside* - not on - the incision. Don't put creams, gels, ointments, etc. directly on the incision unless told to by a doctor.

I also had a SAH and also had ovaries removed. My incision is large, but at least its not vertical. It was closed with staples that were removed at my one week appointment. My doctor told me she didn't usually use staples, but my incision was larger than her usual incision because of the size of my fibroid and uterus. She also told me there were two layers of internal stitches. I also was told not to wash the site directly - I did what the others have mentioned, and because I have a big tummy that after surgery "folded' over the incision site, I also used the hair dryer set on cool to make sure the area was really dry. No problems at all - one end of the incision looked a little funny, but the doctor said it was a hair follicle that was inflamed, and it went away. Good luck to you!

Because my fibroid was so huge, I was given a large vertical incision starting about two inches below my belly button and three inches above. It had to be closed with staples, which were removed 10 days later. I was allowed to shower and let the incision get wet but was warned not to scrub the area.

Right now, it's all crusted and very itchy, with some minor puckering that I'm hoping will clear up.

My surgery was laparoscopic with 3 abdominal incisions about 1 to 1-1/2" long (one below the bikini-panty line) and a 4th one about 2" long above my belly button where "things" were removed. No bandages, no dressing, just surgical glue. My only instructions were don't pick at the glue when it starts lifting. I was told I can shower, it's okay if they get wet.

I've 14 days post-op today (yay!), and the glue is just now starting to lift.

I had an abdominal and was discharged the next day. Funny how hospitals/insurance works. I thought it was a little quick but I think I'm doing better home (maybe overdoing a little).
Thank you for sharing. It's so interesting to see how our bodies heal.
Happy healing everyone!

I had abdominal and my incision is about 9 inches long but at least still horizontal. I have staples as doctor stated larger incision so it was needed. Doctor told me to wash above it and let the soap and water run down and make sure pat dry or dry with blow dryer on cold as I have a fold over of skin there. Can't wait to have staples removed on Thursday

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Originally Posted by ashailo I had an abdominal and was discharged the next day. Funny how hospitals/insurance works. I thought it was a little quick but I think I'm doing better home (maybe overdoing a little). Thank you for sharing. It's so interesting to see how our bodies heal. Happy healing everyone!

I had TAH, both ovaries and cervix removed and was released the next day too. I thought it was too early but the hospital was understaffed and my roommate talked on her cell phone loudly all day and night. I asked to switch rooms so I could get some rest and they said they didn't have any beds open and released me after i got up , walked a bit and ate. Not a great hospital stay but luckily a great surgeon.