Surgical incision problems?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Has anyone had trouble healing at the incision site after ankle surgery? The staples were removed from the incision on May 23. Two days later I removed the bandages and realized the wound was infected. After getting a shot of antibiotics and taking oral antibiotics for ten days I returned to the doctor for him to check on the healing process. He told me that I need a Wound VAC. My incision is not closed and two of the screws holding my plate to my fibula are visable through the open wound. Has anyone else had this problem. I am a 56 year old woman. I have had surgeries in the past and have never had any trouble healing. I do not have diabetes. I don't smoke. Other than breaking my ankle, I am in good health. I am just having a lot of trouble with the wound healing. The fibula is healing as expected. Thanks for any insight you may have.
0 likes, 13 replies
MR_ANKLE mary102362
Posted
Hi
I would advise that you get a second opinion from a ankle consultant without any further delay even if you have to pay a fee ( approx £150 )
Regards
Mr Ankle
mary102362 MR_ANKLE
Posted
Mr. Ankle, Thank you for your advice. I have not yet got a second opinion, but am ready to. I see my doctor again in 6 days and am going to get him to refer me to a wound care specialist. My wound is not infected (after two rounds of antibiotics) but it just isn't covering the screw which is very worrisome.
teresa93024 mary102362
Posted
hello and yes that very thing happened to me. It delayed my healing and I had a wound doctor visit me every other day changing my bandages. It had to heal from inside out. This happened Nov 2017. I have swelling and pain. I cant stand my shoe to rub against the wound. I'm afraid to get hardware removed.
mary102362 teresa93024
Posted
Thank you for your response. How long did it take your wound to heal over the top of the screw? It has been 7 weeks since the surgery and I can still see the screw head.
veronica34189 mary102362
Posted
Hello
I'm so sorry you are going thru this. You have a infection that requires, the only way to get rid of. Is a IV which you have to be
admitted to the hosiptal to have done. Because the dose has to be perfect, for the medicine to work. And that takes time to fine the correct dose. A wound vac is not the cure. I had infection after my surgery in the wounds, and had to go back in the hospital for treatment for 21 days. This infection is very painful too. And your wound cannot close, until all the infection is clear. I hope this can be of help to you. You have my best!!! Veronica
mary102362 veronica34189
Posted
Thank you for sharing your experience. The wound VAC was not used after all. I have been using Aquacel AG for about 10 days now, but I still don't seem to be healing. I do not seem to have an infection anymore (after two rounds of antibiotics). I will be asking for a referral to a wound care specialist at my next visit.
donna41550 mary102362
Posted
hi. it may not be the same prob.em i had but i am just going to mention it anyway. my incision became infected several times after the staples were removed. i finally saw a wound specialist and they gave me antibiotics and had me use compression stockings. 6 months battling with it and it finally healed. compression was the secret for me. the swelling kept putting pressure on the wound so it wouldnt heal until i took the pressure off. good luck
mary102362 donna41550
Posted
Thank you Donna, maybe compression will help, however, I am not having much swelling. I sit all day on a recliner with my feet up. I am doing everything the doctor tells me, and have a home health nurse coming every fews days to check on progress. There just doesn't seem to be any progress and no one (that I am seeing) seems to know why. Sigh.
veronica34189 mary102362
Posted
Good for you in getting well.
I still have pain in it, if I over do it.
Do you get back pain ? I do!
Thank you Veronica
mary102362 veronica34189
Posted
Yes, I have back pain! But, I have had previous back surgery so I already had back pain. But using crutches, and not being active certainly increases the back pain. How long has it been since your ankle surgery?
donna41550 mary102362
Posted
I do not have back pain because of the ankle but 2 years later and it still swells if I walk much. Sandals do not work for me anymore either. my ankle swells almost immediately when I wear them. steps are still difficult. I am happy to be up and moving though. I do not have pain in it so I am happy. my foot is 60% numb too from the surgery.
mary102362 donna41550
Posted
Two years and still swelling and numbness? I am so sorry to hear that. I have a lot of numbness on the top of my foot and my big toe. The doctor tells me this is normal. I wonder if it will ever go away.
mary102362
Posted
Update: I am posting three pictures. From left to right, the first one was taken June 12, the day before I started using Aquacel AG. The middle picture was taken June 18, and the last picture (far left) was taken June 26 after 2 weeks of Aquacel. I don't see a noticeable difference. My ORIF surgery was May 9. It has been 7 weeks and I still have an open wound where I can see a screw, and as of yesterday the plate beneath the screw is also visible. Sigh.!