wound infection

[Anchie]

Dear all,

Now some bad news.... two days ago my friend called me to say that her wound has started leaking again. Her incision opened a few inches above the initial place of leaking... And it's all puss inside... It's harder for her to move than the first time her wound got infected... She doesn't have fever. Her surgeon is at a total loss! He hopes he won't have to open her this time. She was about 6 weeks on antibiotics compared to you who still take them.... she's so worried and dissapointed... She asked me to post here and try to find out something new....
so if you have any suggestions and advice, please, post here...

She's going to the hospital today to have her wound cleaned. I'll post the update later.

I promised the update two days ago. So here it is:

The surgeon took a swab. He cleaned her opened part of the incision. Sent her home and told her to come on Friday 10th April. Then to come on Mon 13th April and every other two days... He can't promise her he won't open her up.... But I personally believe it's better to open and clean from inside not outside....

[txmarinemom]

Suzyjay ...

Man, you've had a tough road .

I know you probably know this, but once you've had MRSA you will probably always be a carrier. It colonizes in the nares even after the active infection is cleared, and although I had mine back in 2001 (after breast augmentation -I also caught it in the hospital ... luckily the staph did not infect the implants), I still always have prophylactic oral Bactrim and IV Vancomycin (what my culture showed susceptible to) before any surgery.

Reinfecting myself was the #1 largest concern I had before fusion surgery. Just be aware antibiotics (and all the Bactroban in the world in the nares) probably won't kill it, although it *may* control the colonization. You'll need to protect yourself in the future via antibiotics prophylaxis. Don't let *any* doctor convince you you don't need it before a procedure that opens and closes the skin. Many surgeons just don't know any better and you have to put your foot down.

Like you, I dug all over the place to get info (my plastic surgeon told me I got it from my dog sleeping in the bed ... pfffbbbbt.), and I even went as far as calling the Texas Dept. of Health, convincing an epidemiologist to give me 30 minutes of his time.

It took forever (like 6 weeks ... a long time when you know what you have), but I did finally get in with the head of Infectious Disease at Baylor in Houston. Like Linda said, it's TOUGH to get in with one ... especially that sees patients who are NOT in the hospital.

I hope they get the hematoma cleared up soon!

Regards,
Pam

[suzyjay]

Thanks Pam

I have read that the staph never really leaves you once you get it. I was planning in getting breast implants, but I worry if I will get this infection again on the implants.

Sue