randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
remember it old you my baby sister was going to have breast reduction and a face lift?
well she had both. apparently the face thing is going well, but not the reduction.
she has what she calls a 3 inch area under one of her breasts and it's still oozing and draining.
since she's a radiologist she can't go to work in a hospital with that wound. she's been back twice to the doctor who did the surgery and they say "oh no problem, it will close" but it's been almost 3 weeks.
i'm so worried that all four of us have lyme and i wish she hadn't done it but what's done is done.
have you got any ideas?
she's the only one i talk to. and i only call bout once every 3-4 weeks.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
randi,
i too have breast reduction in 86; 22 yrs. ago with many complications after they removed 5.5 lbs!!
1 side of problems was one they had to operate again on late that evening since they did NOT catch all the bleeders and billed fully for 2 surgeries!
my one side DRAINED FOR 1 YEAR! it sounds like they should have stitched her up more too. ... at least NO CHARGE for weekly or bi-weekly appts. for 1 year!
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posted
wounds can be tricky some times, if her doctor would give her a home health referral that would put her well on her way to wound healing
she may have some friends if is in health care that she could get help from if talks to nurses with wound care experience
most home health companies have WCON nurse on hand or avilable and are skilled in wound care (not all are the same, if she lives in tx i may can give you some good agency's to look into)
there are a number of "advanced wound care" that nurses use, most docs are not educated in this as it has become a "nursing" thing.
another option is wound care center in her area
some good tx choices for that kind of wound are: wound vac (fast healing !!), alginate type dressings - esp. impregnated with silver if infection an issue or even high bacterial burden.
if her wound is open/draining all the open area needs to be "packed" with some type of dressing to heal correctly or she may end up with false healing on outside and abcess under the skin..dont want that... need someone who does would care for her
pls. just take as recommendation and use MD for tx
-------------------- i am not a Dr. any info is only for education, suggestion or to think/research. please do not mis-intuprest as diagnostic or prescriptive, only trying to help. **
dx in 08:lyme, rmsf, bart, babs, and m.pneumonia. Posts: 422 | From TX | Registered: Oct 2008
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
When I had problems with a leaky incision,
I went to the PT at the place where I worked.
They do fantastic wound care.
The doc told me to clean it out daily with hydrogenperoxide.
She said that was the worst I could do.
Keep it clean and use triple antibiotic cream.
It closed in four days.
Now mind you it was much, much smaller than the wound your sister has.
Maybe your sister needs to get a second opinion.
My incision was draining yellow fluid....not a good thing.
Is she on any antibiotics?
She should be.
Hang in there.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Having managed a wound care center in a hospital for 2 1/2 years, I second the above poster and suggest going to a wound care center.
They will evaluate the wound, do cultures to check for infection, and put the patient on a wound healing regimen. This includes nutrition aimed at healing (adequate protein), appropriate dressings (there are a multitude of options for any characteristic of any wound- and they are all different.)
And the above poster is correct- alginates will absorb exudate, and silver is antimicrobial, although somewhat toxic. Many are now backing off higher concentrations of silver in impregnated dressings.
A wound vac IS an option (this is a vacuum- assisted closure device designed for wounds with extremely heavy drainage) but only if the exudate is heavy. They are costly and cumbersome. They must be hooked up to a suction device.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.
Posts: 688 | From CT | Registered: Jan 2003
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