I'm just over 3 months post-takedown and I was also left with an open wound after my surgery so that it could heal from the inside outwards. The district nurse came to my house every other day to change the dressing.

I still have a tiny scab on my wound which does not want to budge at all. The amount of purple on show is slowly getting smaller and smaller because of the new skin forming around the edges so I'm not worried. It was a big wound, it'll take a lot of healing. I still wear a dressing in the shower even though the nurse told me I won't need to, but I just tend to be cautious with things like this.

If there's a smell coming from the wound, you should definitely have it looked at. Not saying there's anything wrong, but that's one of the signs of an infection. Best to catch anything early before it gets worse, plus there's no harm in popping to the doctors either.

Hi Roger, 

That sounds pretty normal to me. Most surgeons do not close up the old ostomy or stoma site. They leave it open to drain and to 'granulate in', meaning that tiny granule-like particles develop (they are white and look like tiny little spots) and slowly come to build up new tissue...the grow from the inside out and build up towards the surface.

Although we all heal at different speeds depending on our state of health and our biology most of us take from 2-3 months to heal an old stoma site.

I have had 4 old sites close up on their own and my midline had reopened and had to close on its own more times than I can count.

You can help it to 'look a bit better' by bringing the side closer together with a few steri strips at the edges while it heals (do not 'seal' it shut)....

If it gets red, hot, starts to ooze or smell badly then you may need to see a doctor to check for infection. If not, just keep the damp dressings on it as it closes and then keep a soft dressing over it just to protect it.

Sharon