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There is about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch portion of the incision that has been open since the 2nd or 3rd day postop. The edges of the skin are red and it looks like it has some pus in it. The bad part is that it is covered by the wafer of the appliance. It has been 2 weeks since surgery and it isn't showing signs of healing.

Any experiences with this?

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I cut my wafer away from my incision. I cut the wafer more to one side than the other so I can put the thinner part of the wafer between stoma and incision and cut the remaining so it doesn't overlap.
And yes a similar thing happened to me. Are you getting home care? If so, let them know you have an infection or something similar is starting. If you don't have come care, get to your doctor ASAP.
It definitely sounds like an infection starting and hopefully it will be easy to treat with oral antibiotics. There is also some special stuff they can pack the open wound with that 1. draws the infection out and 2. doesn't hurt like plan gauze does when they change it. It's called silver something (??) and looks like a grey material. sorry I forgot what it is called.
J
There really isn't a way to avoid covering it with the wafer, the stoma nurses tried. It is too close to the stoma. The stoma nurse said to have a surgeon look at it and we will. The first couple times they did the bag change they covered the incision with gauze but this time they put the wafer directly over it. I am afraid of what is going to happen when they peel the old wafer off. The skin and area around it is very tender. Ouch!! I wonder about putting an antibiotic ointment in it to protect it from the sticky wafer. hopefully we can get into the surgeon soon. I also wonder what the scar is going to look like there. The rest of it is already just a thin white line.
K
On the area that came apart. I pulled the area back together with some butterfly strips and went and seen my doctor. The doctor showed me me how to place/ pack the wound with a wick. wetting the wick (small cut strip on fine sterile pad 1/4"X 1-2" long)with saline. Placing this in the wound. Then place a dry sterile pad big enough to cover area taped on. This pulled the puss up out of the hole and it began healing immediately. Changing it twice per day. "the wick will dry up during the day with the puss it sucked up. Re-wet the part that touches the wound before changing or you will pull skin off.

"Go see the Doctor" Every wound is different. The doctor will give you the wick strips to use.
D

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