Post Surgery Wound Care

Overview

Your doctor has placed sutures (stitches) to keep the incision closed for proper wound healing. Sometimes, sutures need to be removed in a few weeks. Sometimes, the sutures are all under the skin and will eventual dissolve on their own and do not need to be removed. 

In either case, please follow these routine wound care instructions:

• Leave the original bandage that was applied at the time of your surgery in place for 48 hours. If the bandage should become loose, reinforce the dressing with surgical tape.
• After approximately 48 hours, you can gently remove the bandage.
• If you have steri-strips on your incision (little white paper tapes), keep them in place until they begin to fall off on their own. Do not pull the steri-strips off as this could put stress on the incision line. When the steri-strips start to peel off, they can be gently washed off.
• Please try to keep the incision line clean and dry. You can shower and gently wash the incision line with soap and water. Dry the incision area and keep the incision line open to air.
• It is not necessary to apply antibiotic ointment, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or a new bandage to the incision line. If your sutures get caught on your clothing or there is a small amount of drainage from the incision, you may want to cover it with small gauze for your own comfort. If so, please use as little tape as possible to hold the gauze in place as tape can irritate the skin.

A small amount of drainage from the incision in the first few days after surgery is not unusual and it will probably resolve on its own. However, if you should notice bleeding from the surgical site, apply firm direct pressure for ten minutes. If the bleeding persists, reapply firm direct pressure for an additional ten minutes. If the bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes, call our contact phone numbers or go to the nearest emergency room for assistance.

What to Avoid

Please avoid the following:

• Do not submerge the incision line under water for a prolonged period of time with activities like taking a bath, swimming, or sitting in a hot tub.
• Do not participate in any vigorous activities or exercises that may put stress on the incision.
• Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or any other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication that may cause problems with bleeding unless instructed by your doctor.
• Do not apply perfumes or scented lotions to the sutures as this may cause irritation.

When to Call the Doctor

Please contact us immediately if you develop:

• Fevers, chills, or night sweats
• Increasing redness, pain, or pus at the incision
• Bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure