Surgical wound infections in Lubbock, Texas.
Surgery that involves a cut incision in the skin can
lead to a wound infection after surgery. Most surgical wound infections show up
within the first 30 days after surgery.
Surgical wound infections may have pus draining from them and can be read, painful, or hot to touch. You might have a fever and feel sick.
Skin is very sensitive during the wound healing process. Because
of this, it can sometimes lead to surgical
wound incisions reopening. If this happens, make sure to reassure the
patient that they should not worry, as this is very common. Breaks can happen
in a couple of different ways and can range in severity.
Cleaning process of a Wound
Step 1:
After hands are washed, remove the old wound
dressing from the surgical area, use the wrapper of the gauze to keep it
sterile while wetting the new wound
dressing with a saline wound wash.
Step 2:
Clean the wound area gently with mild soap and water,
antiseptic wash, or saline spray.
Step 3:
Remove any additional dirt with gauze sponges and pat
dry.
Step 4:
If there’s any bleeding, stop it by applying pressure
to the surgical wound area with the gauze sponges.
Step 5:
Treat with Neosporin antibiotic ointment to fight off
wound infection for minor wounds. Please consult with a physician before use on
a major wound.
There are a lot of ways for doctors to close a surgical
incision after a medical procedure. Whether it’s stitches, staples, or surgical
glue; these different methods need different guidelines to care for a wound,
depending on which was used to close the incision.
Caring for surgical wound
The medical term for stitches is sutures. Other methods that can be used to close a surgical wound include metal clips or staples and adhesive dressings, tapes, or glue. The method your surgeon uses will depend on where your wound is, how big it is, and how strong the closure needs to be.
Stitches
Stitches are a type of medical thread sewn through the
skin at the site of injury that brings the wound together to heal properly.
If a patient has received stitches, the doctor will
either remove them after the
wound has healed, or they will dissolve over time. If the stitches are
dissolvable, medical tape may be used to hold the wound together.
Dissolvable stitches typically begin disintegrating one
to two weeks after surgery. Although it is not the norm, be aware that
sometimes dissolvable stitches can take up to several months before they
disappear completely.
Surgical Staples
Surgical staples are a special type of staple used in
medical procedures, instead of stitches, to bring wounds together to heal
properly.
If a patient has received staples to close the
incision, don’t worry about the removal process. As the doctor will schedule a
time to remove them after the wound has fully healed.
You need to keep these dry if you have a shower, so put
a waterproof dressing over the strips because they could come off in the water.
They’ll usually come off by themselves after a week to 10 days.
Surgical Skin Glue
Surgical skin glue is a special kind of medical skin
adhesive often used in surgery. It works by fusing the edges of the wound, and
this allows for the wound to heal underneath the glue.
Your surgeon may use skin glue to close your wound,
especially if have a small wound. An advantage of skin glue is that it brings
the edges of your skin together very quickly. This helps to seal the wound and
form a barrier that lowers the risk of infection.
It is important not to use any ointment or moisturizer
near your wound
as it may cause the glue to peel off too soon. It’s also important to keep your
wound out of the sun until the glue is gone and your wound has healed.
Symptoms of Surgical Wound Infections
Surgical wounds are frequently monitored to make sure
they are healing properly. Infections may affect only the skin, the tissue
under the skin, or implants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Trusted Source. Signs of a surgical wound infection include:
· increased pain and redness around the wound
· delayed healing
· the presence of pus
· a foul smell, or drainage from the wound
In some cases, an infected surgical wound can appear
dried out or deeper. Fever may also be a common symptom.
Conclusion
Optimal management of surgical wounds
is an important part of post-operative recovery and health care professionals
should monitor the process of acute wound healing, prevent wound complications,
and treat appropriately if complications arise.
The key elements of post-operative wound management
include a timely review of the wound, appropriate cleansing and dressing, and
early recognition and intervention of wound complications.
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