infected surgical wound??

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i had surgery 9 days ago, the wound is 30cm long and it is being held together by staples, i went and saw my local doctor today due to pain from the surgery site and he said it is very infected and if pain relief doesnt help to go to the hospital emergency dept, as he isnt sure if its infected inside the wound aswell or if its just on the outside, can infections be serious coz at the moment its just red dots and puss coming from around the staples...and how serious can infections get and will it be a good idea to go to the hospital next time i get the pain or just deal with it at home??
This is what I do whenever i have a skin infection and it works every time for me, however if little red streaks start coming out of it going towards your heart i'd go to ER straight away.
But get some salt - like a teaspoon of salt, normal table salt and put it in some hot water, stir it to dissolve, make the water as hot as you can handle without burning yourself, get some tissue dip it in the solution and put it on your wound ... hold it there till cools down and do it again ... then do it again in 4 hours .... and every 4 hours till you sleep .... it should get better or at least look better after the very first time you do it.

It has healed so many of my wounds, quicker than anything else - however this is surgical wound so it may not be strong enough - but it really works ....  (+ info)

How to treat an infected surgical wound after Crohn's Disease surgery ?

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I had surgery for Crohn's Disease 2 weeks ago. Four incisions were made - three keyhole incisions and one 8cm incision down my stomach starting at my belly button.

One week after surgery, the staples were removed from my wounds. The keyhole wounds have healed up nicely. The 8cm wound looked fine as well, then 4 days after the staples were removed it started to weep and ooze clear/yellow fluid. The 8cm wound has been weeping and oozing non-stop for 4 days now. I visited my surgeon and his nurse the day after the weeping began and I was put on strong antibiotics.

It has been 4 days, the antibiotics haven't done anything and the wound continues to weep constantly. It has spread open quite a bit, it's sore and red, it looks absolutely disgusting. I clean the wound with betadine and put dry guaze over the top but the dressing doesn't last long as it gets soaked with ooze.

I don't know what else I can do, it's really bothering me ... I saw a doctor last night and was given some cream, but even that isn't helping. It's quite disturbing walking around with an open wound that constantly weeps. I don't know what I'm expecting posting this on yahoo but I'm really desperate now ... I can't do a thing and just want the wound to close up, stop weeping and start to heal. I'm afraid I'll have 1 big fat scar :(

Any tips and ideas would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
snow, i had the same problem due to crohn's after my surgery in Sept. It takes about a week for the antibiotics to work unless there is a strong indication the infection is worse. Definitely go back to the surgeon immediately and have him look at it. If he jerks you around, then go to your primary MD and tell him what the surgeon said to you. You don't want it to turn into cellulitis as that is very serious.

Keep the area clean, change the pad once soaked and if it gets really bad, head to the ER where they can clean it, dx what type of infection it is and call your surgeon. Don't let your surgeon push you away. You need to be treated and it is serious.

I have posted information on the crohn's and colitis foundation for you. they have a hotline, live chat, and an open forum where you can post questions to others who have it. u r in my prayers.   (+ info)

What is the management for surgical wound infection (deep space).?

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Hi guys, I had undergone sacrectomy for removal of a giant cell sacral tumor five months ago. Initially, I had fluid discharge from the lower site of the wound on and off. My surgeon said that it will heal on its own. Then I received radiation therapy, but after completion of radiation I had wound infection deep inside the wound with foul smelling fluid and pus discharge. One month ago, underwent incision, debridement , and drainage. But after that infection is still there. Foul smelling fluid and pus is still expressing from the drain site. What will be the next step to be taken that i will discuss with my surgeon...?
It sounds like you have cellulitis and an abscess that's resisting treatment. Your gonna need to go back to the doctor for further treatment and since the previous attempts to treat it didn't work. your probably gonna need to be admitted into the hospital so they can ct your surgical site and use iv antibiotics while monitoring you more closely.  (+ info)

Who knows 4 sure if Mederma works 4 surgical scarring? I guess the only way we would know is if some1 did 1/2?

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Mederma and 1/2 Vit. E!..I'm not willing 2 b our guinnea pig! My doc doesn't know. :( I have really ugly wounds and want 2 have the best healing possible! Do I keep the wound moist now that stitches r removed? It's dark red.HELP PLEASE!
Mederma is ok, but I had better luck with "Scar Zone". You can buy it in any supermarket. Use it as directed and it really works! Good luck!  (+ info)

White bumps on a surgical wound?

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I recently got two stitches on my face(around my eye region). My surgeon told me not to mess with the stitches/wounds. And like a good patient I am, I've always left them alone. Now I'm noticing that there are white "bumps" (perhaps whiteheads or deadskin I'm not sure what they are) on one of the stitches. Can they be just whiteheads I got from not being able to wash the stitches for 7 days? What can they possibly be? I have the stitches out (it's been 4 days) but I can not go wild and try to wash my surgical wounds neither because that may leave permanent scars on my face. I merely splash water on them for now. What are those white bumps? should I be concerned?

*I only have those white bumps happening on one of my stitches.
Beachbum. Do the world a favor and go kill yourself right now.
  (+ info)

over granulation of a surgical wound?

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My husband had an operation and the wound is leaking and the district nurse said "it was over granulating".

He feels better though it is still weeping, and wants to go for walks up the shops etc. His friend has said he must sit around and not go out else it will be leakign for longer.

I feel that if he si OK then he should go out, though he does get tired very quickly and is sleeping a lot more during the day.

Any views...should he go out to the shops and back - a distance of under a mile there and back or should he sit at home and get despondent because he can't go out?

Will it make the seeping last longer if he goes out?

G
The operation was on June 3rd and the stitches came out 10 days later and eh was fine until the Saturday three weeks ago today.

He had a gall bladder out and was to have had key hole but came back with 82 stitches and also taken out was a quarter of the liver though as yet we do not know why...until the 4 August when he goes back to see the surgeon.
Thank you to the people who have told us what over granulation is, I have asked questions on Yahoo before but no real help yet...so thanks - cos we did not know and still do not know consequence. He is haivng the wound dressed with iodine strips.
'Overgranulation' means that the wound is healing with what is called 'proud flesh' ie. above skin level. So it's weeping because there's no skin over it. Excercise is essential for good recovery and will NOT aggravate the weeping in any way. Your husband should only walk half as far as he thinks he can - becuse then he'll have enough energy to get back home. Two short walks a day are better than one exhausting long one.

The District Nurse can put special dressings on the wound to reduduce the overgranulation, usually iodine based. This will help the extra cells to diminish and the skin to cover the site.

Hope he's better soon.  (+ info)

as a nurse, what should be done if the patient develop drainage at surgical site in the abdomen area?

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if there is no post op order for dressing change since it's an open wound to dry? and do we do the same thing as a LVN and as a RN? i'm just asking as a beginning nursing student.
  (+ info)

Is surgical spirit poisonous if accidentally swallowed or when used on the skin as a disinfectant ?

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I know it can be used on the skin, surely it is absorbed is this not dangerous ? I'm worried to use it for a skin wound though it was recommended.
I must add I know it can't be swallowed and would be lunacy to do so ! I just meant if it is absorbed by the skin is it no dangerous ? I have a piercing and was told to use hydrogen peroxide or surgical spirit, I don't think I should use it on broken skin !
It won't hurt you cleaning a wound with it its fine and smells nice too!!! Don't drink it for the wound though just dab it on the skin its not like headache tablets ha ha!!! I think they use it in hospitals. BUt you know what best thing for cleaning cuts etc is salt water without a doubt, as it brings all the dirt/pus whatever out of the wound. Use that. (and don't drink that either as you will be ill)  (+ info)

I got resistant staph (MRSA) from a surgical wound (now healed), but am still having symptoms...Help!?

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I had a hip revision (to replace some metal on metal parts that I was having a metal reaction to). I told the surgeon NOT to use staples as I had a reaction to a wound the previous year that was closed with staples the previous year (I had to treat the open wound for 3 months). He insisted on using staples anyway. After a week in a half the incision site was very red and had swollen to almost double the size. I had to remove to staples to release some of the pressure. I was readmitted to the hospital and had emergency surgery to "clean out" the wound. This time they used sutures to close it.

I was sent home on IV Vancomycin (very strong antibiotic) every 12 hours. Last Thursday I started developing a fever and major pain in my hip and groin (where the prosthesis is). I am having fevers and chills since Thursday too, which are controlled by Percocet, but - what happens if this disease has spread to the bone? I don't have any boils or anything like that - just the healing incision site which is very warm to the touch.

I'm concerned as to what will happen next? Will they continue the treatment and hope for the best or will they do something different (since it might have gone to the bone). How do they know if it has gone to the bone? I'm only 35, and all this started b/c I have a disease called osteonecrosis which kills joints. I'm in good health, but obviously wiped out by these antibiotics.

Anybody with experience dealing with a resistant staph that has traveled to the bone? Any and all information is very much appreciated!!
The best thing to do is be VERY STRONG with your doctors. If you do not feel they are treating you with respect... which that is what it seems- find a new one. Got to the local emergency!!! RIght NOW Please, you have signs of infection which are fever, redness and heat to the site of injury(surgery). You need to MAKE them listen to you. Staph can become a sepsis(blood infection) and that is very dangerous-- Vancomycin is the usual treatment but you are already on that. Doctors are people and make mistakes. TELL THEM TO LISTEN!!!! Find a rheumatologist that will help you. Please... my mother had Lupus and I had to fight for her to have the proper care and I am glad that I did.  (+ info)

Can severe dehydration cause an infection in an open surgical wound to worsen?

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After heart bypass surgery, my husband was discharged with incorrect dosages of lasix written on the discharge orders. (60 mg. twice a day) Within 3 days, he became severely dehydrated and was readmitted. He was given sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron IV's for days...as well as antibiotics for an infection in the sternal wound causing it to be surgically reopened. Another long hospital stay ensued. (27 days) The hospital notes say that he was readmitted for infection to the sternal wound. This is not why I brought him to the ER. After calling the cardia unit, I brought him to the hospital for severe dehydration when I discovered the wrong dosage was written in the discharge order.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear about all of this!

My simple nurse's answer would be; YES!

Here's why;

The wound that was made by the surgeon is trying to heal. There are millions and millions of healthy cells that are trying to do their job and grow together.

Inside the cells there are different things. Its two major parts are the nucleus and the cytoplasm.

The different substances that make up the cell are collectively called protoplasm. Protoplasm is composed mainly of five basic substances: water, electrolytes, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. The principal fluid medium of the cell is water, which is present in most cells, except for fat cells, in a concentration of 70 to 85 per cent.

People cells get their energy from CELLULAR RESPIRATION.

Food is eaten, and is broken down into small pieces, called glucose. The glucose passes through the cell membranes of the cells in the small intestine, and into the bloodstream. The blood carries the glucose to every cell in our body. This process will only happen if oxygen is present

So without water/hydration, cells cannot live. Also without nutrition, the cells can not live.

The body needs a certain amount of nutrients to maintain a constant, healthy state. This need is determined by the basal metabolic rate. Any trauma (including surgery) raises the metabolic rate, and greater amounts of oxygen and nutrients are required to supply enough fuel and amino acids for repair and recovery.

Energy expenditure may rise by 10 percent to 50 percent to support the intense metabolic workload. Protein and amino acid requirements increase to support formation of new tissues and proliferation of immune cells, maintain lean body mass (or muscle protein), and replace the protein lost to perspiration, bleeding, and excretion.

Meeting hypermetabolic needs may leave the body dehydrated. Not only is it essential to maintain hydration, but the need for hydration increases if a wound is draining or if a person is on an air-fluidized therapy bed. Trauma patients' daily requirement of water may range from 1500 to 2000 mL/day.  (+ info)

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