Incision open after staples are removed

Hi Ladies

I am 9 days post op. I had a TAH/BSO with a vertical incision. They took out about 30 staples yesterday and used a little glue on the upper part and a few steristrips. Wow it felt great to be rid of the staples as they were pinching something awful. I went walking around and the last time I sat down I felt something give, it was the lower part of the incision. I went back to my doctor in the afternoon and he said to just pack it with gauze that I would remove twice a day and that he cannot stitch it up. Other areas are now gaping my belly button is weeping, my incision is just past my belly button. I am so frustrated and upset, I was so happy prior thinking I was having a very easy time with recovery. Has this happened to anyone else? How did you deal with it? Any advice, please

Geri

I think that u should go back to the doctors, and he him recheck it once again. Is it possible that you can get some steri-strips and help the opening close a little? Do you have a binder that you can put on as well? I had one as soon as my surgery was over and stopped using it about a week ago. It can be worn as long as needed
Watch for the signs of infection and be careful and get the rest that u need.
Im sorry that your going threw this.

Hi Geri,

I can offer total empathy/sympathy and a . I had my TAH 4/13 and small bowel repair 4/25 due to adhesion. I was in hospital for 21 days. 3 days after I returned home incision (vertical from just above belly button down to bikini line)started leaking substantially near the bottom. Went in to doc's and she proceeded to tell me incision was infected and then she opened it right there in office and a ton of fluid came out. I have been having it packed 2 x day for 3 weeks now. Doc just reduced it to 1 x day now. It is a slow heal but they say they see progress(healing from the sides of wound but still deep) all I can do is hope.

Do what they reccomend watch for redness and fever. I am not out of the woods yet but I can say I feel tons better, even with this hole in my abdomen. I have cried a bit and yelled a bit but bottom line, whether I like it or not this is my situation so I am trying to focus on healing now. Feel free to email if you'd like.

Take Good Care and ,

Sharon aka Spritey

Oh Geri (and Sharon),
I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I've been reading your posts and how well you've been doing. I came home with an abdominal binder....it's not the most comfortable thing, but it helps hold me in. I agree with the previous poster, ask your doc if you can wear a binder only taking it off for the dressing changes...it will help support the rest of your incision. You're in my thoughts!

Good Luck!
Lori

I had the same thing happen to me the day my staples were taken out. My DR put steri-strips and sent me home. I had a coughing fit and got up to go to the bathroom. While I was sitting there, a place in the incision popped open and out came the blood. I called my DR and went for a check the next day. They left mine open and told me to watch for signs of infection, but that it was better to leave it open to heal than to try to stitch it up or put a steri-strip over it. It took a while, but it has healed completely now, and it's not even very noticeable any more.

When I had my staples removed, there was still one little opening that hadnt quite healed right. They never gave me steri-strips, just told me to pack it, clean it and keep it dry. I will be 4 weeks on Thursday, and the majority of the incision has healed, but the one area still seems to leak a bit. I still just keep it clean and dry and keep a stick free gauze on it daily.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by dreamaker1268 When I had my staples removed, there was still one little opening that hadnt quite healed right. They never gave me steri-strips, just told me to pack it, clean it and keep it dry. I will be 4 weeks on Thursday, and the majority of the incision has healed, but the one area still seems to leak a bit. I still just keep it clean and dry and keep a stick free gauze on it daily.

Well sisters I don't want to recommend something that won't help others but what has worked for me were the Curad scar therapy bandages. They are sterile and adhere very nicely without causing much pain upon removal. I placed one side at the bottom of the incision opening and then pulled it up to close the opening and just laid it firmly down. It sticks to your clean skin better than the steri-strips without the adhesive sticking all over the place. I only put this on at night and then removed it during the day to change it. It did get pus on it at first but that was before I learned how to pull it up to close the wound. After 4 days and taking my anit's. it is completely closed with no infection. Remember clean hands, clean site, clean heal.

Thank you all for your replies. I have not been on the computer much as I am now worried that one wrong move will open things up more. My hubby called the doctors office and the very young lady who took out the staples and only glued and steri striped part of the incision told him it was normal for people over weight and didn't anyone explain it your wife. Well they didn't, I thought I was getting a horizontal incision. She said there was nothing they could do and we never heard back from the doc so I suspect she did not pass the message on. I put the binder back on overnight and will try it again if I attempt any kind of walking. Once they took it off of me in the hospital they never said anything about wearing it again. Thanks again for your responses. I'm just upset that this is going to take time to close as I was hoping to do some hanging out in the pool with the kids.

Geri

I also was supposed to have a horizontal incision but they had to go vertical due to my fluff and the size of my uterus. The lower inch of my incision opened, right under my "flab". While the Dr did warn me of this (he said my steri strips might fall off too) it began to bleed a little that night. He told me to cover it w/ gauze and that if it was still bleeding the next day to call so I could set up to see him. The top part also opened a bit, but that basically scabbed over like a scrape and wasn't an issue.

While it did stop bleeding, I did have a "growth" which I found out at my appt yesterday was granulation. He "burned" it off with silver nitrate and hopefully now it will heal over better. Otherwise looks like I'm getting a few stitches next Thur!

SO...I would call your Dr again and if you get the same young lady, ask that the Dr call you back when he's available. There's no reason you should walk around worried and "guessing" on what to do when that's what your Dr is there for. Keep in mind, they get paid be you and/or your insurance and they are offering a service.

P.S. I never had a binder, hospital or otherwise, so that's why I didn't comment on that, but it sounds like a good idea to me if it doesn't hurt!

I had the same prob. but use Curad's Scar Therapy to pull the openings closed and they healed nicely. My surg. was on the 10 of May. As far as your DR.'s office is concerned, have you noticed everyone wants to be an authority on your body? But yet can't answer simple questions? If you still can't reach him. Call him after hrs. and leave a message that u only want to speak to him. This Dr. is still just a man who got paid for his services, he owes you follow-up care, you are entitled to some answers. You have put your life and trust in this mans care and its not over yet. Call him to get the answers you need. But for now keep reading our posts here. You came to the right place!!! I know this from experience. Take care dear, and when this is all over you are going to be Super Fine!!!!