Question:
What will I need at home to clean my wound?

   — Sandra B. (posted on May 16, 2002)

May 15, 2002
When I left the hospital, they gave me all the dressing changes and tape with instructions I would need to clean my dressing. I used peroxide to clean the dressing.
   — Patty H.

May 15, 2002
I didn't need anything. The doctor took the drain out while I was still in the hospital so all I had was the staples on the outside. He said it was best to let the air get at it. I had no bandage except for the first day in ICU. He took it off the second day and didn't have a bandage after that. When he took the staples out in his office, he put on steri-strips and they stayed on for about 3 wks before they fell off themselves. Hopes this helps with your question.
   — Peggy D.

May 16, 2002
My doctor told me to remove my dressing 48 hrs. after leaving the hospital and then just leave my incision open to air, cleaning it daily with water and mild soap. I don't have staples or sutures but steri-strips, and they're getting kind of wrinkly right now--they'll just fall off when they're ready. But you should ask your doctor what his protocol is--it may depend on whether or not you have staples, sutures, or steri-strips.
   — Kristie B.

May 16, 2002
My surgeon told me just to wash gently around the incicion and keep it loosely covered with guaze. Later though, I had some inner staples that were too close to the surface of my skin and were trying to come back through. My surgeon then told me to pour hydrogen peroxide over it, dry it with a clean towel, put a triple-antibiotic ointment on it and still keep it covered lightly with guaze. It cleared up in a week and a half. You might just keep hydrogen peroxide, ointment, and guaze on hand, just in case :) Good Luck!
   — DonnaCarol

May 16, 2002
I already had showered and had the dressing off by the time I left the hospital. No drain, metal staples....told to shower as normal and just gently wash the incision with a mild soap and my hand (not a washcloth), and we were told not to dress the wound afterwards. I just had my staples taken out on Tuesday and now have what I think are steri-strips on there, until they fall off. Hugs, Joy
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 16, 2002
I had posted this to another woman's question yesterday...here's what I did: I highly recommend taking great care of the wound sites (no matter if you have an open or lap procedure done). It's something that none of my manuals talked about nor did my doctor but I highly, highly recommend it. My sister is an RN and took care of my wounds up to 3 times a day - she would sterlize my surroundings ( nothing special - just a nice, clean set up), put on her gloves and cut out small 1 x 1 guaze pads and make a stack of them. I had a lap. RNY on the 9th of April - each day, she would first use peroxide to clean off the wound site and drain tube sites - she would always stress that peroxide shouldn't be used alone ever because sometimes it can do more harm then good - so the first swipe was always with peroxide and a clean little 1 x 1 each time. The other 2 or 3 swipes was all on a clean 1 x 1 but using distilled water (never tap) right after it. She'd then use another clean gauze and paper tape because it was less irritating for me around the site until they started to heal. I am absolutely convinced this is part of the reason that I felt hardly nothing when it came time to take the drains out or the staples removed. They have already healed up and are hardly noticeable.
   — Lisa J.

May 16, 2002
I agree with L.J. keep everything very sterile. I bought the 1x1 guaze pads, cotton balls, rubber gloves, and my husband did an excellent job 2 times a day cleaning my wounds. I only had to pack the 1 incision for 5 days and the drain came out on day 5 also. I bought a small rubbermaid container to keep all of my supplies in so my children would not be tempted to touch. It also keeps them dirt free. good luck
   — Robin B.