Secrets to cleaning the incision: untold stories!

[Ovie]

Wondering if anybody has any secrets or maybe tricks up their sleeves on some easy ways to clean chest incisions. How many times a day did you do it? What did you use? I've currently got an unscented bar of soap that I use, usually just put it on a wash cloth and gentle clean it in the shower, figured I'd ask if anyone had anything else they did that made things easier or quicker?

Thanks.

 

[yotphix]

Hi Ovie,

I think you ought to check with your nurses/doctors about that. What I recall (though I may be wrong) is that I was told not to wash it for the first few days, but to let the water run over it only. I would think that a wash cloth would have some added risk of introducing bacteria from elsewhere on your body, and from whatever surfaces it rested on before finding it's way to your shower.
What you're doing is probably fine, but I'd recommend checking if you can. Congratulations, by the way. Sounds like things went well (except for the hell nurses - I had one of those, but was fortunate that she was not in CICU, but on the recovery ward. Most were beyond excellent, mind you - perfect angels!)

 

[dwhist]

When I left hospital I was given 6 bars of Dial Soap and told only to use it and then to wash from the top down with a wash clothe and then not use wash clothe on anything else until it was cleaned. I was also given a large bag of betadine swabs and told to apply twice a day over the incision. Even with all of this, I did end up with the top 3 inches of the incision getting infected about 2 weeks after surgery requiring the doc to open it up and clean it out. Was quick office procedure.

Was also was told showers only and stay out of hot tubs ect for 3 months.

 

[epstns]

I didn't really have much in the way of special instructions for wound care. It may depend upon how your surgeon closed the wound. Mine was closed with dissolving sutures on the inside, and glue (Krazy Glue?) for the external incision. For the first few days it was all covered up with a sort of plastic film. Once that was off, the wound was fully closed and painless. They just said showers only, no tub baths for a few weeks, but no real panic about it. Sort of a non-event.

 

[Cooker]

I was told no perfumed soap. Common sense dictates to go slow and gently while cleaning any wound.

 

[Bev]

I wasn't given any special instructions except in the early stages, don't let the water hit the incision directly. Just let the water run down over the incision, then gently pat dry. I didn't use any soap on it for a long time, and when I did it was a very mild liquid soap (Cetaphil). I was also told not to put anything on the incision like neosporin, vitamin E etc. Basically just leave it alone.

 

[Freddie]

You best ask your doctor which is the best thing to do.

It was mentioned to me to just let the water run down "gently" - no direct soap.
I would bring my elbows together and put my hands on my shoulders while I rinsed.

 

[sarahsunshine]

As others have said, we were told not to let water go directly on the incision, and no soap or scrubbing for a week or two. Once it was only a surface wound (most of the scab gone), then it was fair game for anything (including the hot tub). That took about 2-3 weeks (he had non-dissolving stitches after being re-opened, the first tie was crazy glue).

 

[Garserin]

The nursing assistant who helped me with showers after my OHS at Mayo told me to use a fresh washcloth, soap up the washcloth with antibacterial soap and then dab, not rub, along the incision line. Rinse washcloth and then just use the wet washcloth to go over it again. I did this once a day at the beginning of my shower. I tried to not let the water hit the incision directly.

Make sure you go up and down when cleaning the incision, not from side to side. I did as told and had no problems.

 

[Ovie]

Hmm, good to know, I've let water hit my incision dead on a few times now, even while in the hospital. I have trouble avoiding letting water hit it because I'm sore and when shampooing my hair i don't have the flexibility right now. I just took the bar of soap and went north to south gently than washed it. I'll try avoiding direct hit.