Incision Infection ?

[ctyguy]

Im almost 6 weeks post op and my incision appears to be mostly healed. Its broken up now and I still have two scabs that haven't fully healed. The one at the very top of my incision is the one that still has the farthest to go. Now here is my question. I pressed on the scab a bit this AM and I got a few drops of liquid from it that were like a white color, not clear and not blood. Once those had been wiped off the only thing that seeped was blood. There is negligable redness around the scab, looks like its been looking for weeks now.

So...the question is...had anyone else seen anything like this ? Am I being too cautious ? Of course if it continues I will run to the doc but I was just there yesterday (he didn't look at the incision though).

Thoughts ?

 

[Mary]

Im almost 6 weeks post op and my incision appears to be mostly healed. Its broken up now and I still have two scabs that haven't fully healed. The one at the very top of my incision is the one that still has the farthest to go. Now here is my question. I pressed on the scab a bit this AM and I got a few drops of liquid from it that were like a white color, not clear and not blood. Once those had been wiped off the only thing that seeped was blood. There is negligable redness around the scab, looks like its been looking for weeks now.

So...the question is...had anyone else seen anything like this ? Am I being too cautious ? Of course if it continues I will run to the doc but I was just there yesterday (he didn't look at the incision though).

Thoughts ?

I think it should be further along in the healing process. I had bleeding for a few weeks, but it didn't last 6 weeks.

Did you see the cardio yesterday, or was this the surgeon's post-op visit? If the surgeon hasn't signed off on your care, then call his office.

 

[Dina]

I know SOME drainage is normal , but I dont think it should be purulent=
white,yellow or pus-like. Do you have a fever? Even if not I would call to ask.
I had clear drainage and that was ok, but not sure about this
Wishing you well, Dina

 

[Susan BAV]

My drainage holes took a little while longer to heal/close than my main incision but I think everything was closed up for me before six weeks post-op.

 

[Bina]

Some incision leakage does happen, but it should NOT be greenish and foul smelling.
The top end of my incision took forever to close up; I had a home nurse coming in until week 9.
During that time she actually had to remove a scab or two in order to clean it properly with a sterile saline solution. Antibiotic cream was applied as long as there was any leakage....then we left it open to the air and it still took some time to close over.

 

[Jkm7]

I had my surgery the same time as you and my four drainage holes are completely healed. No scabs left. My main incision also has no scabs or breaks. I never had any drainage with any of the incisions this time but my first OHS, I did. On the very bottom, I had a small infection. It oozed a cloudy liquid. Doctor cleaned it and put me on five weeks of antibiotics. It cleared up fine.

I would call your surgeon if he has not yet released you and if he has, maybe you should call your Primary Care. That incision is awfully close to your heart and it isn't a good idea to risk if it could be infected.

 

[WayneGM]

MY GP was responsible for the incision healing, not the Cardio or Surgeon. They were more interested in heart's progress than the other stuff. You know the drill...if in doubt, call.

 

[ctyguy]

just took another peak at my "issue" area and I had nothing additional in regards to any leakage. I would say my incision overall is 80% healed. Unfortunately I've had the scab come off on the top several times and that has meant rescabbing. I've been covering the scab now in the shower for about a week hoping it will completely heal and dry up. After I get on the treadmill later today Im going to shower but without covering it so I can give it a gentle wash and hopefully not have the scab break free again. I want to keep it clean but I also want it to dry up and heal, kinda double edged sword. Any suggestions for cleaning ? I can keep it dry in the shower and then do something after the fact, peroxide maybe ?

 

[Bina]

Nope. Not peroxide......unless you dilute it down alot.
Can you boil some water, let it cool and add a bit of salt?
Dab that on with some sterile cotton or gauze pad, dry off with more gauze.

 

[Jkm7]

Betadine and water. Doctor had me do one part bentadine (the orange antiseptic they paint us with at surgery.....available OTC in any pharmacy) to two parts water. I dabbed it with a gauze pad twice a day for about a week or ten days.

 

[Philip B]

Infection

Infection

If you're getting puss from the wound area, chances are pretty good that you have some kind of infection going on. Clean it up and monitor it.

-Philip

 

[Christy]

Don't want to cause undue alarm but I had a similar discharge from my stent incision and it turned out to be a MRSA! Put me back in the hospital for another 2 weeks and on a "wound vac" for another 5 weeks. For sure get it checked out! It's probably nothing but trust me you don't want to go through what I had ... not fun!

Interesting aside ... this developed while I was in a convalescent home and went untreated for almost 3 weeks. The nurse said it was nothing to worry about and it was my physical therapist who stamped his foot and said get her into the emergency room. A nice lesson to be learned is we all need a "foot-stamper" if we're too weak to do it ... family, friends, good staff ... you know who they are for you. It's not enough to just rely on what one person tells you.

Best of luck! Hope it's nothing!

Christy

 

[CHDDoug]

When I saw my cardio at 4 weeks, I had the surgeon's nurse look at my incision and chest tube holes. I had a white/yellowish/clear liquid that would ooze out of my chest tube holes (and a little bit at the bottom of my incision) and she looked at it and said that it was perfectly normal. She told me to clean the areas with hydrogen peroxide and sterile q-tips and it would dry up. I did what she said and in fact they did within about a week. She also recommended using Dial liquid soap on the areas while taking a shower. I did that as well (was already using Dial soap anyway...hair and body stuff). I think what you are describing is normal, but might not hurt to place a call to your surgeon or the surgeon's nurse.

 

[pamela]

With both my surgeries I had problems with the incision wound not healing/keloiding scar etc. The discharge at the top and bottom of the sternum scar was due to my rejection of the stitch knots. I don't absorb well. Perhaps this is what you're doing? At any rate, the surgeon or your PCP should be made aware so that they can examine your wound and determine what's going on. You won't heal until the sutures are absorbed and/or the infection is taken care of.

Take Heart.