After the surgery has been performed, it is your turn to take care for the surgical wound. The most important thing is your incision heals well and that no infection manages to develop. The things that will become your daily routine include caring for the incision, changing dressings, cleaning the wound, and watching for signs of complications.
How to take care of the wound
A surgical incision may be closed with the use of stitches, staples, or surgical glue. The surgeon will remove the staples as soon as the wound is healed. When it comes to surgical glue, it comes off on its own, usually within five to ten days. If stitches do not dissolve over time, the surgeon will remove them. With dissolvable stitches, small strips of tape may hold the wound together. If they do not fall off within one to two weeks, the surgeon will remove them.
In order to care for your incision you must pay attention to certain things. Namely, you must not pull on stitches, staples, tape, or surgical glue. If the wound starts to itch, try not to scratch it what so ever. If the itchiness becomes insupportable, the doctor can prescribe certain medications to relieve itching. Additionally, keep the wound away from direct sunlight if you have a skin adhesive. The wound may start to bleed at some point, in which case you should apply firm pressure to the wound for at least five minutes. Do that by using a clean towel or tissue. In case the bleeding does not stop or if it increases, immediately call your doctor or go to an emergency room.
How to Change the Bandage
In order to protect the wound from bacteria, absorb fluids, and keep it dry the doctor will likely cover it with the sterile bandage. You should avoid showering at least two to three days after the surgery. Additionally, avoid swimming, do not take a bath, or soak in a hot tub until the surgeon approves it.
Bandage should be changed every day or as often as the doctor recommends. You should ask when it is time you began cleaning the incision area. Try not to use shower gels, scented soaps, iodine, alcohol, or peroxide anywhere near the wound.
The first step in cleaning and dressing the wound is to remove the bandage. If you are wearing any jewelry, take it off before changing the bandage or cleaning the wound. Then, wash your hands with soap and water for about 15 to 30 seconds. Later, rinse your hands well and dry with a clean towel. Now it is the time to loosen the dressing tape and put on a medical glove to remove the dressing. Finally, you should place the dressing and the glove in a plastic bag and wash your hands again.
Cleaning the wound is the step two and it requires the use of certain medical supplies. Namely, you should soak a gauze or a cloth in a saline solution or soapy water. Then, gently wipe or pat the skin with the soaked gauze, removing dried blood or drainage from around the incision. Later you should rinse well and carefully pat the wound dry with a clean towel.
The final, third step, concerns putting on a new bandage. Place the new clean bandage on the wound and wash your hands again. Then, double-bag the old bandage, tie it, and put it in the trash.
Infection and Possible Complications
Make sure you look at the wound regularly to see whether it is healing properly. You should do this every time you change the bandage or even more often if the doctor recommends. Complications can occur even with the best wound care. Moreover, there is always the risk of developing an infection. If you notice any of these problems, call and see your doctor immediately.
Signs and symptoms of infection can include sudden or increasing pain that does not get better with medication. Furthermore, increasing warmth, redness, or swelling of the skin are also signs of an infection. Additionally, drainage of pus, blood, or other fluid from the incision site must be immediately taken care of by the doctor. White pimples or blisters around the wound alongside fever higher than 100.5º F, or sweats or chills are all serious symptoms that indicate an infection has occurred.
Certain factors may increase the risk for infection and other complications. Namely, if you are smoking, or suffer from diabetes, obesity, or malnutrition, you have the risk of getting your surgical wound infected. Finally, immune function problems, long surgeries, or emergency procedures can also cause the wound to be infected.
Taking care of your surgical incision is very important for your overall health. Therefore, you must be very careful at changing the bandage and cleaning the wound. In order to avoid any complications and infections follow these suggestions and listen to what your doctor advises.