did anyone else have spitting stitches?

[MNmom]

Hey there everyone- I am just over 5 weeks post, and had a question about my incision- I should really just send a picture, but im not that technologically advanced- anyway, at the top of my incision- there is what appears to be a string coming out and going back in about a 1/2 centimeter down. It is a white string- it is not hanging out - there is no tail- just going in and out of my incision- if that make sense. Also, at the bottom of my incision, there is a little string bubble, that does the same. I had thought it was a scab that wouldnt come off, but it is a little white string with no tail- but at the bottom my incision looks a little purple now.
Has anyone heard of spitting stitches? Should I be getting these checked by someone?
Now that I am at Cardiac rehab and wear a monitor- maybe the wires have irritated it or something- yikes. Maybe I will show one of the cardiac rehab people on Monday...
Anyone with similar experiences and or advice?

 

[Freddie]

Maybe what your seeing are the knots that haven't dissolved. Same thing happened to me and the doc just pulled them out......yes it did tingle a bit.
But if its turning purple it could be the first sign of infection.

But YES, get it checked out.

 

[MNmom]

yes, at the very bottom of the incision it looks kinda like a blood blister or something- just dark purple- it is not purple around the incision- just like a purple dot at the bottom end.

 

[Marguerite53]

I remember that the rehab therapists were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. If it isn't warm or red and you aren't feeling achey or feverish, you could just wait and ask them. They've seen everything, probably! I wonder if it's a little blood blister of some kind?

Trust your gut, though. If you are instinctively worried about it, call a professional. Even though it's a weekend, the surgeon will have an on-call person. OR, I remember that the hospital had a phone line to a specific nursing office for just those kind of questions. Look at your release papers and see if there is a phone number for questions and concerns.

Good luck!

Marguerite

 

[Superbob]

I remember seeing something like that. Soon enough it just went away -- dissolved, I guess. But it never hurts to ask. The cardiac rehab nurses would be a good place to start.

 

[geebee]

I have a slightly different perspective. After my third surgery, I had a spot on my scar that just didn't heal. It would try but always start seeping and getting red.

Eventually, my surgeon went back in and cleaned up that area. Worked okay for a few weeks and then started up again. I decided to see a plastic surgeon (not sure why but.....) and he scheduled a "look see" and clean up surgery as an out-patient.

The surgery ended up being over 3 hours. He found a massive infection that was wrapped around muscle. My entire scar was re-opened and I still have a couple hernias from that surgery because of where the infection was.

So - longer story short - see your doctor and keep a close watch. This is not something that should be ignored. It might be nothing but it might not be.

 

[Jkm7]

Your surgeon missed that kind of massive infection?
He must have been astounded when he learned about it. My word.....how awful.

 

[cday]

My husband's top stitch also looked like it was not closed and had a string hanging out. When he went in for two week wound check by the surgeon's nurse she said everything looked great. It did seep longer, but never became infected.

I think at the next visit they pulled that string out -- it scabbed over and all is fine. It was a little disconcerting to me though.

Cindy

 

[MNmom]

I remember that the rehab therapists were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. If it isn't warm or red and you aren't feeling achey or feverish, you could just wait and ask them. They've seen everything, probably! I wonder if it's a little blood blister of some kind?

Trust your gut, though. If you are instinctively worried about it, call a professional. Even though it's a weekend, the surgeon will have an on-call person. OR, I remember that the hospital had a phone line to a specific nursing office for just those kind of questions. Look at your release papers and see if there is a phone number for questions and concerns.

Good luck!

Marguerite

Thanks- it does look like a little blood blister at the bottom of the incision- that wasnt there before...I just cleaned it really good and put some neosporin on it to help with healing and will ask a cardiac rehab nurse on Monday.

 

[CHDDoug]

I did have the clear stitches at the top and at the bottom. They are perfectly normal. I actually pulled mine out after a while...were dissolving and came loose, so I just helped them come out. I would certainly show the cardiac rehab nurse...just to make sure you don't have an infection. I would also be careful about applying neosporin (unless your doc has told you too). My incision took a little longer than normal to heal, but was told NOT to put neosporin on it. Just check with your doc/surgeon's office about that.

 

[cday]

My husband was told NO NEOSPORIN, also.

 

[Lynlw]

Your surgeon missed that kind of massive infection?
He must have been astounded when he learned about it. My word.....how awful.

I would definately call tomorrow and get it checked, Justin usually has a problems with not disolving his "disolving" sutures and usually they just pull them out but 2 times he had infection, 1 time they lanced and debrided it and had to do wet to dry dressing for weeks.
Last year he had an infection similar to GEE's his infection was both in his sternum and around his heart so he had to be completely re opn and cleaned out and like Gee, had muscles moved to help it heal. it started with the little blister and the next day it had fluid coming out. It was only 10 days post op and they only way they found the big infection was from a CT scan.
He' s had 5 OHS and 2 other heart related surgeries and a pyloric stnosis surgery and all but 2 of his surgeries he had stitches working their way out, but after pulling the stitches there were no other problems, so don't think just because you have the blister is is a big infection, but I would get it checked tomorrow just to get it taken care of. Lyn

 

[MNmom]

I would definately call tomorrow and get it checked, Justin usually has a problems with not disolving his "disolving" sutures and usually they just pull them out but 2 times he had infection, 1 time they lanced and debrided it and had to do wet to dry dressing for weeks.
Last year he had an infection similar to GEE's his infection was both in his sternum and around his heart so he had to be completely re opn and cleaned out and like Gee, had muscles moved to help it heal. it started with the little blister and the next day it had fluid coming out. It was only 10 days post op and they only way they found the big infection was from a CT scan.
He' s had 5 OHS and 2 other heart related surgeries and a pyloric stnosis surgery and all but 2 of his surgeries he had stitches working their way out, but after pulling the stitches there were no other problems, so don't think just because you have the blister is is a big infection, but I would get it checked tomorrow just to get it taken care of. Lyn

When you say "re-0pened" do you mean open the incision or re-open the whole sternum? Yikes. I will have the Cardiac Rehab nurse look at it tomorrow and get her opinion. The blood blister looking thing at the bottom is no longer there- but there is one on the top now- but it came after I was messing with it- so hopefully it too will go away. There was also a clear stitch on my pacemaker incision, but I sucessfully pulled that out. The strings on my sternum incision are white, not clear. ew.

 

[Jkm7]

My first OHS I had a small infection at the base of my sternal incision....my bra rubbed it.
A PA cleaned it and prescribed a long course of antibiotics. He specifically said no bacitricin or neosporin. He was firm to not use it. The infection cleared up well and was no further problem.

 

[MNmom]

Why no bacitracin or neosporin? Does anyone know the reason for this? Does it seal up an infection on the outside but push it to the inside? yikes. Just curious if anyone knew why...

 

[Lynlw]

When you say "re-0pened" do you mean open the incision or re-open the whole sternum? Yikes. I will have the Cardiac Rehab nurse look at it tomorrow and get her opinion. The blood blister looking thing at the bottom is no longer there- but there is one on the top now- but it came after I was messing with it- so hopefully it too will go away. There was also a clear stitch on my pacemaker incision, but I sucessfully pulled that out. The strings on my sternum incision are white, not clear. ew.

I'm glad the bottom is clearing up, but please get it looked at just to be safe and IF you get a fever call right away.
His first surgery when he was 10 days old, they had to lance have of his incision (is was between his ribs fronm under his arm around the back to almost his spine.) that was when we had to do the wet to dry dressing, where you pack it with guaze. The other surgeries we kept a close look for things like you describe and were able to get the stitch pulled before there were any problems,
But yes last year they had to reopen the whole sternum, he had an infection in his sternum and under it all around his heart, luckily his heart was fine. But they had to remove all of his wires ecept the very top one, that part of his sternum was fine and cut away parts of his sternum where the infection was, then couldn't use wires again so moved part of his right pec muscle and wrapped that around his sternum, to give it support and the muscle tissue has lots of blood and things that help with the bone healing somehow.
He is doing very well, his surgeries we June 19th and 29th last year. Once again we were really Blessed and I know it. I am still grateful for all the prayers.
Actually he has his year post op appt Tues.
Lyn
ps did you see the pic of Justin's tattoo I posted in the tawdry shirt forum?

 

[Freddie]

In the U.S.A. , you guys can buy neosporin off the shelf??? I need a prescription, But polysporin I can buy of the shelf, which is a sister ointment, it works a little slower and I used it all the time..... well when I need to use it. I was never told not to use it.

Well its been a while, but I'm confussed again.

 

[MNmom]

yes, we buy neosporin off the shelf here in MN anyway...and actually, I belive I was sent home with some sample packets from one of my Docs- and when my aunt was staying with me post surgery- she recommended I put it on the spots that werent healing as well or if they were still open- and she is a neuro nurse.
Now I am a little paranoid about putting on the cardiac monitors at cardiac rehab- the wires rest up against my scar- and that may have been what was bothering it...I suppose I could just put a bandaid on the top. the bottom has cleared up- no purple anymore. The top looked like a little white head this morning at the top of the stitch- so i pushed it and it drained- gross but it looks better now. I have been using alcohol wipes to clean it...

 

[marie]

my doctors were very specific not to put anything including neosporin on the openings but I never asked why.
Earline

 

[pamela]

Topical antibiotic salves and ointments can mask a systemic infection and/or provide a conduit for bacteria to get deeper into a wound.

I don't dissolve stitches well, especially in wounds without deep muscle covering bones. The blood and lymph supply to these areas (sternum, knees, etc) isn't as full as it is to other parts of the body, therefore, the enzymes our body produces to absorb the protiens in the stitch material aren't present in large enough quantities to digest the knots and longer threads in an incision.

Hopefully, you cast the stitches or they dissolve on their own but keep a very close watch for infection ... red, swollen, red spiderweb lines radiating out from the wound, puss, stink and heat.

Absolutely, show this to a medical professional... A doctor may even go inside the wound and clip the stitch away for you. (It stings but is worth it since afterwards you actually heal.)