I am 24 years old and had my first(open)surgery when I was 17. It took almost 2 years for my wound to finally heal. I was sent to several doctors and tried almost everything, including topical cremes and silver nitrate. It was finally close to be healed when they sent me to the hyperbaric chamber. I went about 12 times before it freaked me out enough and I never went back. It finally closed about a month later. For the next couple years I would get flare ups off and on when I decided to go back to another doctor. He followed me for some time and then decided to redo the surgery. He thought that maybe they didn't get all of it the first time. I had the second (open) surgery in Feb. 2004. It is now Nov. 2004 and I still have a wound approx. 2 cm in depth and 3 cm wide. It hasn't healed any since July. I changed doctors and she has been applying the silver nitrate again and I am packing it once a day with Aquacel. Still nothing has happened. I went to a plastic surgeon to see about a skin graft. Instead they want to re-excise it some and close it up in layers with stitches. Still yet, nobody can tell me why this thing won't heal. I had blood work done and everything came back fine. I am scheduled for surgery to close it up on Dec. 6th. She says there is only a 50/50 chance this may work. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do?[=(]
Won't heal
- Thread starter Brandi24
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Anonymous
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Brandi,
I had my open excision done in the summer of 2002. I am still healing. It is about 95% done, it just wont close. For the first year after the surgery I went to many wound care clinics. All they could do was pack it and use silver nitrate on it. they could not explain why I was such a slow healer. they suggested plastic surgery. I decided to just let it heal over a long period of time. I can not notice changes in it healing every day, but i can defenitly see progress every month. make sure you sleep on your side or stomach, dont sit down or slouch too often, and keep packing it. it will eventually heal like mine, even though i never ever thought it would.
I had my open excision done in the summer of 2002. I am still healing. It is about 95% done, it just wont close. For the first year after the surgery I went to many wound care clinics. All they could do was pack it and use silver nitrate on it. they could not explain why I was such a slow healer. they suggested plastic surgery. I decided to just let it heal over a long period of time. I can not notice changes in it healing every day, but i can defenitly see progress every month. make sure you sleep on your side or stomach, dont sit down or slouch too often, and keep packing it. it will eventually heal like mine, even though i never ever thought it would.
It would be great if it healed some from month to month but I haven't seen a change since July. I usually do sleep on my stomach or side. Unfortunately, I am a secretary so I have no choice but to sit all day. Which I know is not good for it at all but I still should notice some healing. Is there anything special to pack it with? Right now I am using Aquacel, I know they said if you use regular 4X4's it can pull some of the good tissue out as your unpacking it.
F
Fried_Green_Tomatoes
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I too had silver nitrate used on mine for 'overhealing' as the nurse called it but Im not all that convinced this didnt hinder progress[:?]
I hope your surgery works on dec 6th[^^]
I hope your surgery works on dec 6th[^^]
well....any kind of wound you have is going to have some type of drainage. I'm talking about the kind of drainage you had prior to any surgeries? What color is the drainage?
There is something that they can do to you after you've had surgery to make sure they caught all the tunnels and pits and stuff. Do you know if the doctor did anything to check?
Cathy ..Anyone....what is that called???
There is something that they can do to you after you've had surgery to make sure they caught all the tunnels and pits and stuff. Do you know if the doctor did anything to check?
Cathy ..Anyone....what is that called???
Unfortunately, I am in the same boat Brandi. I had surgery in April 2004 and have two openings left. I just had an MRI today and they told me I have fluid built up and an infection. I too have green/red/brown discharge, everyday. And for the last few days, it has bled and bled. My surgeon says, we should just wait until your body reacts. Can you believe her?? Well, thats another story.
Good Luck, listen to all the advice and stories on here.
Good Luck, listen to all the advice and stories on here.
Well I went to my primary care doctor to get an antibiotic for what I think is an infection in my open wound. She said there was no actual way to test the wound to see if there is in fact an infection since there is bacteria that lives in it anyway, I don't know if I believe that or not. In her opinion she says I should go forward with the surgery set for Dec. 6th where they will re-excise the cavity and stitch it up in layers. I guess I have nothing to lose at this point. I will keep you updated as I find out anything and have the surgery. I pray this works.[^^][oyo]
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