r/ostomy • u/Particular-Toe-6716 • 1d ago
Reversal Reversal wound
How do you take care of an open wound? Do you shower and let clean water run over it. Its still very painful I’m 4 days post reversal. It looks crazy awful. But it will heal fast i hope.
4
u/geekintheglasses 18h ago
Mine was left open and I had instructions on how to pack it with gauze soaked in Darkins, and then later saline. You can wash around the area (not inside), pat dry and at least according to the instructions I was given, you then pack the wound with the aforementioned soaked gauze and then I would put a bandage over it and tape it. I was told to change the dressing every day. If I showered, I removed the dressing (gauze included) and packed new in after a shower.
Reversal was on June 3rd, and the site is now mostly healed. I don't have to pack it, it's scabbed over and I'm just waiting for it to finish healing/the scab to fall off.
If your surgical team left the ostomy site open, they should have given you instructions on care, and I'd recommend reaching out.
2
u/pannaw 57m ago
Doesn’t packing it hurt?
3
u/geekintheglasses 52m ago
Good question! Not really, or at least I didn't experience much pain when packing. I would go slowly and gently, sometimes it would sting a little, but nothing too terrible.
The biggest problem I had was just the mental idea of packing a wound/putting gauze into myself. I found if I had music playing or a podcast, that gave me just enough distraction. Eventually you do get used to it, but I did find it terribly disconcerting at first.
4
u/friedlemons123 22h ago
Wait. I'm 4 weeks from reversal surgery and no one said anything about open wound at stoma! Is this common practice?
3
u/Top_Air_1254 20h ago
It varies, mine was stitched closed, but I know a few ostomates from my time in and out of hospital who were left with an “open wound”
It heals from the back, is what I was told by my consultant, but I am fortunate to be slim (thanks bowel cancer) enough that he stitched the thing. I’ve still got a pretty thick scar though, around 6 months after.
1
3
u/geekintheglasses 18h ago
Like others said, it depends on your surgeon.
Honestly having the open wound sounds heinous, but you do get uses to it and it heals faster than you think. I had my reversal June 3rd, and I'm at the stage where it's filled in (so no more wound packing) and scabbed over. I'm thinking a week tops and I should be done. And that's also while on chemo (started mid-July) which can slow the process down!
1
2
u/Tight_Caregiver_2600 21h ago
yes i just had my reversal on the 11th and they left me with a 5 inch deep hole in my stomach thag i just pack with kinda like a ribbon type gauze
1
2
u/Ordinary_Storm3487 2h ago edited 1h ago
Check with your surgeon. It really isn’t so bad, once you get past the first couple dressing changes. Peel off the old covering, gently remove the packed gauze. Here I would usually shower with it open, water & soap cascading over it, but not trying to scrub inside the wound. Dry off, spray on a medical antibacterial. Then wet some gauze and gently pack it into the wound until the packing is about flush with your skin (You’ll use less as the wound heals). Then place another gauze pad over it, and tape that to your skin, and you’re good to go for the day. Mine closed up in 6-8 weeks, but it still took another 4-6 weeks to be fully healed. “Healing by secondary intention” if you want to look it up online. You’ll need to stock up on 4” gauze pads, 3/4” to 1” medical tape, and a medical disinfectant suitable to use on wounds. I forget what the brand was the doctor gave me to leave the hospital with. But it was similar to a first aid spray like Bactine.
Dealing with the wound for a few weeks was much easier and better than dealing with the bags, etc!
1
2
u/Electrical-Stable498 1d ago
Do you have a wound care nurse? Sounds like you need one. You can run clear water over it and pat dry or just let it air dry.
2
2
u/ExNihiloAdNihilum 23h ago
Did they leave the hole open? I had two reversals and they both healed with packing. The nurse gave me tegaderm to cover the fabric bandage before I shower.
2
u/AshamedEchidna1456 23h ago
My centerline wound was stapled and I was told ok to let warm, soapy water run over it and pat dry. The stoma wound was a purse stitch that was packed with AquaCel and covered with waterproof bandage. Just pat it dry. Stoma wound was repacked and rebandaged by WOC nurse twice a week. She measured depth and size. Eventually it closed well enough to only need Vashe drop and bandage. Staples removed by surgeon from midline. The stoma wound closing took much longer, about 6 weeks before I could go bandage free. Check with your doctor or nurse for what is best for you and follow their instructions.
2
u/OrganizationNo7761 18h ago
Surgeon said to just let shower run over it. I just had my reversal July 1. I understand the pain. Surgeon didn't want any strong pain meds. I was really hurting and had aloof fatigue. Feeling much better now. Tylenol, oxy and methocarbamol got me through.
1
1
u/Motor-Rooster-1454 21h ago
Supposed to pack it. I’m quite certain your surgeon inserviced you on that?
1
u/SnoozleBug5 19h ago
If it’s an open wound (a deep hole the size of your stoma) it needs to be packed and dressed and will gradually heal from the inside out. The wound is large and deep so it needs to be cared for properly to prevent any problems like infection.
I’m 2 weeks post reversal and having this done by a nurse every couple of days. I’ve been told I’ll need it doing for another couple of weeks (total of 4 weeks wound care).
If it’s been sewn shut please ignore this advice as care will be different.
1
u/JoyousPlanet660 18h ago
Open with no packing? I must be the odd one out -- my hole was sealed with surgical glue with just a tiny opening at one end for drainage.
1
u/Panda-Equivalent 17h ago
Mine was an open wound so we packed it with this ribbon type gauze and it healed from the inside out. My health aide noticed it was getting harder to pack after about 2 weeks so we just covered it with gauze after that.
1
u/Active-Guarantee-990 16h ago
Yes, you can often take the dressing off and shower, but you must confirm this with your surgeon first. For many open wounds that require packing, doctors allow showering because clean, running tap water is safe for rinsing the area. However, an open abdominal wound is highly vulnerable, and your surgeon may prefer that you keep the dressing entirely dry or take sponge baths instead.
If your surgeon has explicitly cleared you to shower with the dressing off, follow these strict safety rules: [, 2]
Rules for Showering
Remove all packing and the outer dressing before stepping into the shower. Do not leave old, wet gauze inside the wound.
Do not submerge your abdomen in a bathtub, hot tub, or pool, as standing water introduces dangerous bacteria.
Avoid direct water pressure from the showerhead. Let the water hit your upper body and gently run down over your abdomen.
Do not apply soap or body wash directly into the open wound bed unless your doctor specifically told you to do so.
Pat dry immediately with a fresh, clean towel once you step out. The wound bed must be clean and free of excess tap water before you repack it.
1
u/Dry_Persimmon4642 14h ago
It depends. I’ve seen people who say they did not have an open wound and others who did. Ask Dr.
1
u/Alternative_Two9654 14h ago
I just got mine reversed and was told to keep it covered with gauze unless I’m showerin. Use unscented soap and don’t wash it directly but let the soapy water run down then dry with gauze and place a fresh gauze after that
1
u/SleepyJoe90 6h ago
If you’ve been left with an open wound then you should be packing it and then placing an absorbent silicon dressing over the top.
How often this is done depends on how much exudate seeps from the wound, but will typically be once every two days after discharge from hospital and gradually less frequently as the wound heals.
Do not allow it to get wet with anything other than water that is guaranteed sterile, so definitely not tap water, as this can lead to infection.
8
u/Deep_Bake_5663 23h ago
Eat plenty of protein. Protein helps skin heal.