incision opened

The top  of the incision from my thigh lift opened up last night. I have a small hole in my groin area but it is not very deep. It relieved the tension I was feeling. I had a lot of overlapping skin there and it was constantly pulling . I am concerned now about infection. I tried to apply steri strips. They do not want to stay stuck. Has anyone else had this happen and what should I look for? It feels pretty raw but if it heals even if the scar is wider it will look better because it was really puckered. I am over 100 miles from my doctor and can't just pop in to get it checked. I hope I am worried about nothing but it is a little scary. Any advice is appreciated. 

Hi Susie,

I haven't had that experience but just wanted to encourage you to hang in there, maybe call the doc and get his expertise about the situation...Hopefully soon, someome who has been thru what you are going thru will post some good advice!! I know it will all be well worth the small issues that come along with surgery once you are really healed..Best of luck

Susie--

Yes. I had this happen over a week ago from my anchor TT/hernia repair. My incision opened below my belly button right where the 3 pieces of skin were sewn together. My surgeon warned me of two things: belly button death and skin death/open incision at the 3 place incision site. Obviously, the latter happened. My doctor is two hours away too so I really understand. But, when this happened to me last Friday night, I went to the doctor on Monday morning. He said "yes, we discussed how this might happen". The good thing was that he said "it's distressing for you, but I've seen so much worse". My hole is about the size of the tip of pencil eraser.

He advised me to certainly keep it clean and said I could pack the wound twice a day. You can purchase this type of packing at a good pharmacy. I tried walmart...it wasn't there. We went to a small family owned pharmacy in our town. BUT...I've never packed it yet. I just can't stomach the thought of it. And, mine is not infected. He said to watch for signs of infection and should signs be present I HAVE to pack it. For now, I purchase the 4X4 sterile pads to cover it. I use 2 packs (that's 4 pads total). When I had heavy bleeding, I would then layer a quad folded white washcloth over it and then put on my binder. I purchased about 10 new white washclothes. I would go through one (in addition to the pads) in about 4 hours. I would then soak it in oxyclean overnight and wash the load in cold water to remove the stain. Then I would wash on sanitary cycle to make it as clean as possible. I would dry it without fabric softener. (O****ep saying "I" but it was me telling my husband to do it). At any rate, it's been slightly over a week and it's healing with no infection. I shower with Dial soap daily and flush the wound with water. I NEVER touch with would (even to dry it after the shower) with anything other than the sterile pads. I've also upped my vitamin C and iron to compensate for the bleeding and skin wound.

Yesterday, I noticed the bleeding seemed less. So, instead of using the washclothes, I'm using thin maxipads. I change the 4X4s every 4 hours and replace the pad if necessary. I also leave the plastic backing on so it doesn't stick to my binder. So far, that's working well and there isn't as much bulk under the binder.

As for the steri strips, my surgeon advised me to let it bleed. He actually told me to remove the remaining strips at my next shower. He explained that by it bleeding, it is taking out the possible infections and dead skin. However, with the packing, you also get a very clean wound. But, for me, like I said, I just cant bear the thought yet. I suspect if the skin keeps dying (but I think it has stopped), it will be a necessity as the wound would get too large.

I'm concerned about the scar as well and afraid it will look like a second belly button. I buess that is something that will need to be secondary to the healing but I certainly understand your concern.

Hope this helps!

I have not had this happen to me other than a very small spot (size of a pin head) when I "spit a stitch".
Call your surgeon and ask what you should do.  Personally I would not ignore an opening in my incision.....I'd be on the phone right away (even on the weekend.....the service can page them).

Best wishes.

I had what's called a hockey stick incision with my thigh lift.  It started just above my knee in my inner thigh, of course, ran up to almost where my thigh meets my body then bent forward running upward toward the front of my body. 

Just a few days out I had an opening in the bend area.  I was totally freaked out because (with a mirror) I could see my drain tubing inside.  My PS told me it wasn't uncommon for that area to pull and open some and that it would heal fine.  I kept it covered with gauze or a piece of thin feminine pad taped there.  A couple of days later the other side opened and I went in to see my PS.  He didn't seem worried at all.  

The openings healed fine.  I can't tell a difference in the width of the scar there and the rest of my thigh incisions are so thin they are hard to even find in places.

 Thanks everyone for your replies. I haven't had much bleeding and the area looks  a lot better except for the hole. I could feel it pulling every time I moved and it feels better now. I haven't looked at it since I put steri strips on this morning. I will take them off after I shower and try the sterile dressings. I may wait till tomorrow to do it. I will watch for signs of infection. Thanks everyone.

I had this happen on my back side and on one breast- I immediately went back to the doc and they will tell you that the best thing for it is to let it heal on its own not closing it back up can cause more risk of infection - soap and water is the best thing for it is good for it to bleed, don't use hydrogen peroxide as it slows the healing maybe a lil neosporin and a bandaid change it twice a day and wa**** with soap and water twice a day mine are healing slowly but they are healing I go back to the doc every two weeks to have them check it out . Best wishes MO

I had that on both thighs after my MTL. My surgeon told me to put neosporen on it and keep it covered w/ gauze. I never had any problems w/ infection or anything else. It just took time for it to close up. I think it finally did after 5 or 6 weeks. Towards the end I didn't put the gauze over it cuz I ran out and got sick of the tape on my skin.

Sonya

I had this happen on my inner thigh at the groin area. only on one leg , it closed up by itself cause you are stitched in the inside mnay laers down , your leg will not bust open, just keep it claen and maybe put some nesporin oint on it if you have  the steri strips on I would leave them alone for a couple of days
Good Luck
Susan

 Its not deep just the top layer. I am keeping as dry and clean as I can. I am almost scared to get it wet but it is not bleeding or getting worse. So I am not as scared as I was at first. I will still call the doctor on Monday but you have calmed me down. Thanks. I took the steristrips off, they were not sticking well anyway. It is just in a bad place to bandage.