Your surgery is over and behind you. But the surgical site won’t stay closed or just plain won’t heal. You may even see pus seeping from the wound. Worse, the wound can start to smell.
If your wound — whether on your legs, arms, or at a surgical site — doesn’t heal within 12 weeks with treatment, you have a chronic wound. Chronic wounds are dangerous; they’re caused by or can lead to infection and even amputation of a limb.
Non-healing surgical sites and ulcers demand professional wound care. At Texas Heart and Vein Multispecialty Group, our board-certified and expert cardiovascular surgeon Jon-Cecil Walkes, MD, determines the causes behind your non-healing wound and addresses each one at our Houston, Texas-area offices to help you recover.
What are the signs that your surgical or other wound needs expert care?
If you received stitches or staples after your surgery, your surgical site should stay safely closed during your entire healing phase. If you see signs of an opening, you need to contact us right away.
A surgical site that re-opens is called wound dehiscence. You may have partial-wound dehiscence if only a small portion of your stitches pull open, revealing the tissues — such as deep skin layers and muscle – beneath.
Or, your entire surgical site may be dehiscent. In some instances, you may be able to visualize the organs that were originally operated on. This is not part of the normal healing process.
You may have stressed the wound in some way, which causes the stitches or staples to lose their grip. Even coughing or vomiting — common after surgery — could cause dehiscence. Or, you may have an underlying infection or other condition that interferes with your body’s natural healing process.
Even if the stitches are still closed (or you don’t have stitches), if any wound on your body fails to heal, pay attention. Signs of infection that need to be addressed immediately include:
An untreated infection could lead to gangrene, amputation, or even death. Be sure to get to us ASAP if you notice signs of infection. Most surgical wound infections manifest in the first 30 days after surgery.
Surgery is painful. Recovery can be painful, too. However, if your wound is healing properly, you should be able to manage discomfort with the medications your physician prescribes. If your wound continues to be painful, weeks after your surgery, get help with wound care.
If you have diabetes, however, you may not feel any pain at all, due to nerve damage in your legs and arms. Be sure to contact us if your wounds or ulcers don’t heal in a timely fashion or have any of the symptoms mentioned above.
If you have a non-healing or dehiscent wound, we first determine why. Your healing may be stalled due to a number of reasons, including:
Large wounds or burns also take a toll on the most robust healers. If you have extensive wounds, you will need professional wound care to give your body extra aid in healing.
We may treat your wound by first controlling any underlying condition you have that contributes to nonhealing, including getting your blood glucose levels to a healthy level. Remedies and treatment may include:
In some instances, we may need to institute more aggressive therapies, such as surgery, if a limb is threatened. Our aim is to help you heal and avoid complications such as amputation whenever possible.
Don’t ignore a non-healing wound or a surgical site that seems infected or has opened. Get the help you need to heal completely with expert wound care: You can phone us at the office nearest you or schedule an appointment online today.
We service Greater Heights, Pearland Market, League City, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Rosharen, Alvin, Fresno, Missouri City, Arcola, Friendswood, South Houston, Kingwood Market, Humble, New Chaney, Atasciacita, and Northeast Houston, Texas.
