Open Incision - Hoping to ease my mind....

[leknigh 0]

Hello all! So the first of my five steri-tape strips came off today, and I have to tell you, I was a little freaked out by what I saw underneath. It was an open incision! YIKES! There was definitely red slightly puffy skin stretching upwards from the incision - but the opening itself does not appear to be infected. I think it just looks kind of icky because it's healing. Did anyone else have this issue? And if so - did the incision close itself up without the need for additional re-stitching/glueing?

To be on the safe side, I already spoke with the surgeon, he had me email a picture of it, and seemed to think it looked ok (though the quality of the picture I don't think quite showed it).

At any rate, to further calm my newbie worries, thought I'd check with you all.

Take care!

[Lisa B 0]

Hi - My surgery was two days after yours (on the 7th), and when I went in for my first post-op visit yesterday, the doc just yanked off the steri strips, pronounced all looked good, and sent me home! (OK, it took slightly longer than that, but you get the gist.)

I was surprised, but I guess that a week out - and given all five of my incisions are no more than an inch apiece - keeping them covered is no longer necessary. They're still sore, and kinda red and puffy, but they haven't bothered me at all today being uncovered.

Hope this helps relieve your mind.

[HeatherO 7]

I had one steri strip come off earlier than the rest. I kept it clean and it healed well with no infection. However, when i look at my scars now, they look great and are a pale pink thin line, not really even noticeable except for the place where the strip came off. It is a much darker pink there and the scar is bigger and more pronounced (it is also at the port incision which was a lot bigger to begin with).

If I would have known then what I know now, I probably would have found a little butterfly bandage to make sure that there was a little extra support to hold it together during the healing phases. However, this is just vanity in that it really doesnt look bad at all, just not as good as the others.

All in all, as long as you keep the wound clean and cared for, it is really not a big deal.

[Becksie2 0]

Assuming that your surgery was about ten days ago the fact that the steri-strip has come off is not really a cause for concern. Wound healing will be quite advanced by this stage, and as a result the chance of an infection in the wound is low. However, the same thing did happen to me, and i simply cleaned the area with Betadine, and sealed it with another steri-strip. Good luck