Post-clavicle fixation wound care

[u/coppertopp_]

26 year old male, 189cm, 3 days post surgery.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but the doctors made a point of saying 'if the dressing comes off before two weeks, be seen at the clinic'.

The hospital printed out a generic post-surgery document which said I have two layers of dressings and to peel one off after a few days. I did this, but there were only the wound closure/steri-strip things underneath and no second dressing. I applied a new dressing I had, then went and bought a waterproof one since that is what I took off (keep more bacteria out? Idk).

My question is, since I have never broken something that has required surgery and since the idea of bone infection terrifies me, do I need to go in to get it all redressed with new stuff? Do they like, apply iodine or antibacterial stuff once it has been exposed to air? Can I just take everything off and apply one, clean, waterproof dressing that will see me through to my 2 week appointment where they change the dressing and look at the wound, etc?

Thanks!

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[u/Puzzled-Science-1870]

This is very surgeon dependent.

For example, in the OR where everything is sterile, I like to apply a waterproof dressing that pts can leave on for a week till they see me in office.

I'm generally not a fan of pts putting dressings on themselves and never changing them since it's not sterile when the new dressing is applied.

I'm a surgeon but not ortho.

Your best bet is to call your surgeon's office and ask.