My incision is infected!

[natalie_ca]

The staples were removed today. I had saved up 3 mg of Hydromorphone (aka Dilaudid) for today's appointment, just in case.

The staples came out very easily and there was minimal discomfort.

The redness is going down apparently and it's only red where the staples punctured the skin, so it seems that I was having a bit of a reaction to them, likely because they were left in so long. But the benefits of that outweighed the risks of having left them in because it gave the incision time to heal more.

The incision feels much better since the staples came out. There is no pinching when I'm sitting up now, so I think the Tylenol #3 will be enough to control the pain.

Still no word on the pathology yet. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks. This is only week #2.

 

[mbjerkness]

happy to hear it wasn't too painful. continued healing

 

[jennyr]

I'm a bit late posting, since you had the staples out already! I was going to say that I had half mine out yesterday, on my knee incision, and although I was terrified, in fact it hardly hurt at all. The rest will come out on Monday.

On infection, the doctors all told me that I must not on any account get the incision wet, even for a while after the staples/stitches come out. The wound is washed with disinfectant every day when the nurse comes to do the dressing, then I make a sort of tunnel with a plastic bag taped round my leg to have a shower, which I am doing sitting down with the hand showerhead so as to minimise the risk of wetting the knee. I was told that was the only way to do it.

Anyway, I am very glad for you that all is now going well, and I send good vibes for a complete recovery.

 

[ldg]

Linda - glad you caught it - and now it seems perhaps it was just the staples. Glad they came out with minimal discomfort!

And Jenny, hope you continue to do well too!!!!!!

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by jennyranson

I'm a bit late posting, since you had the staples out already! I was going to say that I had half mine out yesterday, on my knee incision, and although I was terrified, in fact it hardly hurt at all. The rest will come out on Monday.

On infection, the doctors all told me that I must not on any account get the incision wet, even for a while after the staples/stitches come out. The wound is washed with disinfectant every day when the nurse comes to do the dressing, then I make a sort of tunnel with a plastic bag taped round my leg to have a shower, which I am doing sitting down with the hand showerhead so as to minimise the risk of wetting the knee. I was told that was the only way to do it.

Anyway, I am very glad for you that all is now going well, and I send good vibes for a complete recovery.

The reason you aren't supposed to get your incision wet is because your incision went directly to the bone. When moisture flows, it brings germs with it, and the last thing they want is moisture flowing into the incision, down to the bone and bringing bacteria there. That would be a major problem and create a major, major infection.

I'm surprised that they are even cleaning the would before changing the dressing. I worked in Ortho for years and we never, ever, ever cleaned the wound. We took the dressing off and put another one right back on. I remember one time I when I was new to the area and was changing a hip dressing. Like the good little grad nurse that I was I had my bottle of saline solution and a sterile dressing tray and sterile gloves and I was dilligently cleaning the incision area when a surgeon walked in. OMG!!! He ripped me a new one up one side of me and down the other side and then after he got control of his anger, he went on to explain why you never, ever clean an orthopedic surgical wound. I've never cleaned another one since. Old dressing off, new dressing on. Done in about 2 seconds! Literally.

 

[jennyr]

Right, that makes sense. When I say 'washed', it is wiped with betadine on a sterile pad, that is all. They are adamant about not getting it wet.