5 Weeks post op and it looks like infection- help!

Lap Band Surgery date: 7/12/07 at New York University Hospital

Office visit to discuss healing: 8/06/07
The area around the port was brown- one stitch protruding from site. The nurse practitioner tapped the area (10 cc's old blood removed) and prescribed Augmentin. I was told the site might ooze for up to 2 weeks.

After one week the site is now red, hot an oozing. I don't have a fever, but am very concerned.

Did anyone have a similar problem?

1. I'm not even sure what "Keep it clean" means. I am using peroxide on the oozing parts and neosporin on the red part which pinches. I put gauze on it, but can't today because the tape is hurting the area.
2. Is the if the medicine is too stong?
3. Should I keep the area wet or dry?
4. I am now waiting for a callback, but am very frightened.

Please help.
Thanks,
Jane

Jane,
I'm assuming your doctor called you back and asked you to come in to be evaluated. If he didnt, you need to be seen ASAP. The redness and warmth around the incision is usually indicative of an infection. You may need a stronger antibiotic to take orally, as well as a topical one to apply to the site. Please let us know how you make out....
Peggy (who is not only a fellow bandster, but is also an RN)

Yikes, that is scary! Definitely go see them and get aggressive treatment. Good luck, and please keep us posted!!

Thanks for the help. I heard from the doctor and made an appointment for tomorrow. I'll let you know the result.
Jane

I saw the doctor today. I was given 500 mg of pen-vk 4x daily along with levoquin 1x daily. Hopefully, this will quell the infection. I was due to get my first fill on Monday, but that won't happen. If things go wrong, I'm told they will remove the port, wait until it heals, and then replace it. Makes me feel so frightened... But, I'm determined to think positive, along with drinking acidophilis to counteract the effects of the anitbiotics...
Thanks for being here, I really need this place.
Jane

Did your doctor tell you NO neosporin? Wash the incision area in the shower with an antibacterial soap, and then just keep it dry. Neosporin has a nasty habit of keeping incisions swampy and they have a harder time healing. It's only good on scrapes and small cuts (like paper cuts).

No, nothing about Neosporin. CHit, I just put it on the red skin around the area because it's so inflamed. Guess I will wash it off. Thanks for your quick response.
Jane

Please keep us updated, I'm very interested to see how you are doing.

I would really like some information on how people's ports appear to them.
My port is located midway between my belly button and breasts. When I lie down on my side, or sit forward it appears sunken in- about an inch - inch and a half. I'm wondering if this is impeding my healing. Although I am responding to the antiobiotis, I'm oozing constantly. Every time a scab forms, it oozes from underneath. Then the scab falls off in the shower.
Thanks again for any help you may give me.
Jane

It may appear sunken in because the tissue surrounding it is inflamed from the infection. Hang in there, just keep it as clean and dry as possible until it's healed.

First let me start by saying, "I am very sorry you are going through this" I can only imagine your fear and concern.

Sounds like they are on top of things but I thought infected ports were not to be treated with antibiotics for fear of the infection traveling up the tubing to the port??? I am a newbie as well, but I think I have read almost every thread here....LOL .....and remember coming across that info? Just a concern?

But what I do know is NOT to put straight hydrogen peroxide on ANY wound!!! Straight hydrogen peroxide is TOO strong and kills good skin flora as well as the bad....dilute it with H20 first!

Good Luck, keep us posted, you'll be in my thoughts!

So, how about an update? How are things looking after a couple of days on antibiotics??

Usually they will treat the infection first. If it responds well they will leave it at that. If it does not respond well they often times do remove the port and bury the tubing deep in the gut where the gut can deal with any stray bacteria well. Then later they replace the port.

I had a stitch come out early on and had a sore on my port incision. I seemed to heal up alright after lots of effort to keep it dry. A week and a half ago when I went to get a fill it busted open again and started draining, a lot. She said it wasn't anything to worry about, that the incision just didn't heal from the inside out like it is supposed to. After a week, it seemed to heal up and it quit draining for about a day and a half, then on Friday it started draining again a lot and it was really sore. The soreness eased some after it started draining but I am really worried about infection. I am going to call the fill lady tomorrow and see what she thinks. She also put me on antibiotics but I take the last of them today and it is still draining. Has anyone had any experience like this? I am so worried.

I think you need to have this looked at properly. Wounds that have infection in them and then close over are not going to heal - generally they need to be open, packed with sterile saline soaked guaze and let heal from bottom up. I would suggest a proper physician have a look at this before you end up with a serious infection that will require the port to have to be removed. Good luck

 

Cindy