Is this your symptom?
- Concerns about a surgical wound or incision site.
- A common concern is wound infection. Symptoms of infection include spreading redness or red streaks, pus, and increasing pain or swelling.
Key Points
- Most surgical wounds heal without any problems.
- Mild swelling and pain at the incision site are normal.
- It is important to keep the site clean and protected as it heals.
- Watch the site for signs of infection such as spreading redness or red streaks, pus, and increased pain or swelling.
Problems - Surgical Wound or Incision
Wound infection is the most common problem that can occur with surgical wounds. Symptoms of wound infection include:
- Fever
- Lymph node near wound becomes large and tender
- Pain or swelling that gets worse 48 hours after surgery
- Pus or bad-smelling fluid drains from wound
- Spreading redness occurs around the wound (cellulitis)
- Red streak is spreading from the wound toward the heart (lymphangitis)
Wound infection occurs more often with abdomen (belly) and emergency surgeries. Other risk factors for surgical wound infections include:
- Diabetes
- Older age
- Overweight
- Smoking
- Weak immune system
Less common surgical wound problems include:
- Bleeding
- Surgical wound hematoma (collection of blood in tissues)
- Surgical wound starts to open up
Causes
- Bacteria on the skin cause most wound infections.
- Your skin is a natural barrier that keeps out germs (bacteria).
- Surgery causes a break in the skin barrier. This allows bacteria to enter and cause infection.
Prevention
- Follow your post-op instructions for wound care and activity restrictions.
- Keep your wound clean.
- Protect the incision from injury during the first month.
- Avoid vigorous exercise or strenuous work for the first month (or longer for some surgeries).
- Do not smoke for the first month after surgery. Smoking slows wound healing.
When Should Stitches (Staples) Be Removed?
Your surgeon should tell you when your stitches (or staples) need to be removed. These are general guidelines for when they should be taken out:
- Face: 4 to 5 days
- Neck: 7 days
- Scalp: 7 to 10 days
- Back, chest, and abdomen: 7 to 10 days
- Arms and back of hands: 7 days
- Legs and top of feet: 10 days
- Fingers and toes: 10 to 14 days
- Palms and soles of feet: 12 to 14 days
- Overlying a joint: 12 to 14 days
When to Call for Surgery - Incision Symptoms
Call 911 Now
Go to ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
|
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
|
Self Care at Home
|
Call 911 Now
- Stomach or abdomen incision has burst open
- Severe bleeding from surgical wound
- You think you have a life-threatening emergency
Go to ER Now
- Surgical wound is starting to open up
- Bleeding that won't stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Incision looks infected (increasing pain, swelling, redness, pus or smelly discharge)
- Fever or chills; feeling hot or shivery
- Incision starts to bleed
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Suture came out early, but wound is still closed
- Suture removal is overdue
- Pain from incision is getting worse after 48 hours
- Blood-tinged or watery fluid draining from incision
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Stitched or stapled wound with no other problems
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
