Open wound on abdomen after surgery.
Did anyone else end up with an open wound on their abdomen after surgery? If so, please let me know the approx. size and how long it took to close. I had laproscopic RNY but then had a leak so they had to cut me from just under my chest to just above my belly button when they rushed me in for emergency surgery. After that i had staples holding the vertical incision closed but at the very top it kept draining so my surgeon removed the top 3 or 4 staples and it became a 2"H x 1.5"W x 2" deep open wound (cavern) on my abdomen. It's been about a month and it has been very slowly closing from the inside out which im told is the best way but I have a feeling at this rate I'll be lucky if it's fully closed by summer! I wanted to be able to swim for physical therapy since I'm really weak after being unconcsious on the vent for 2 weeks, but I can't swim until it's closed, this stinks!
Thanks in advance for any info!
-Adam
-Adam - 6'6" - From 450 lbs to GOAL in 9 months...
Phase 1: Completed 10/2008.
Phase 2: Weightlifting - Goal: Add 40 lbs of muscle. Completed 2/15/2011.
Phas 3: Cut to 10% body fat.
MY STORY: imthebiggestloser.blogspot.com/
My surgeon's rule of thumb was to always leave the incision by the belly button open. He said he found when he was closing them that there were more absesses/infections. I did not know this before my surgery and was pretty horrified when I found out post op. He actually told me to get a water pick to clean it myself twice per day. I was lucky that I was able to get a visiting nurse through my insurance. So she cleaned it in the morning and my husband helped at night. The hospital sent me home with bandages, scissors and saline. I think it was a good 6 weeks for it to completely close. I also had a leak. It was small. Since the leak was into the old stomach, they did not go back in to fix. It just kept me in the hospital for 9 days. The surgeon had said that after I lost 100 pounds if the leak was still there then they would see about either more surgery or repair with glue through Endoscopy. Luckily scar tissue closed the leak within 8 weeks. I had several strictures and needed Endoscopy for dilation. So I got to see the leak was sealed. Hope this helped.
UPDATE: It's closed. Actually has been fully closed a little over a month. A pretty nice scar remains 1" x 1" and it's indented a bit but i guess it could be worse!
-Adam - 6'6" - From 450 lbs to GOAL in 9 months...
Phase 1: Completed 10/2008.
Phase 2: Weightlifting - Goal: Add 40 lbs of muscle. Completed 2/15/2011.
Phas 3: Cut to 10% body fat.
MY STORY: imthebiggestloser.blogspot.com/
-Michele
lap band '05/revision to rny 11/21/07
5'6- hw/276 sw/242 cw/144 gw/140
then- bmi 36-39 now-bmi 24- NORMAL WEIGHT
"It's Not Who You Are On The Inside, It's What You Do That Defines You".....
or
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