Did anyone else end up with an open wound on their abdomen after surgery? If so, please let me know the approx. size and how long it took to close. I had laproscopic RNY but then had a leak so they had to cut me from just under my chest to just above my belly button when they rushed me in for emergency surgery.  After that i had staples holding the vertical incision closed but at the very top it kept draining so my surgeon removed the top 3 or 4 staples and it became a 2"H x 1.5"W x 2" deep open wound (cavern) on my abdomen. It's been about a month and it has been very slowly closing from the inside out which im told is the best way but I have a feeling at this rate I'll be lucky if it's fully closed by summer!   I wanted to be able to swim for physical therapy since I'm really weak after being unconcsious on the vent for 2 weeks, but I can't swim until it's closed, this stinks! 

Thanks in advance for any info!

-Adam

My surgeon's rule of thumb was to always leave the incision by the belly button open.   He said he found when he was closing them that there were more absesses/infections.    I did not know this before my surgery and was pretty horrified when I found out post op.   He actually told me to get a water pick to clean it myself twice per day.   I was lucky that I was able to get a visiting nurse through my insurance.   So she cleaned it in the morning and my husband helped at night.   The hospital sent me home with bandages, scissors and saline.   I think it was a good 6 weeks for it to completely close.      I also had a leak.  It was small.  Since the leak was into the old stomach, they did not go back in to fix.   It just kept me in the hospital for 9 days.    The surgeon had said that after I lost 100 pounds if the leak was still there then they would see about either more surgery or repair with glue through Endoscopy.    Luckily scar tissue closed the leak within 8 weeks.   I had several strictures and needed Endoscopy for dilation.  So I got to see the leak was sealed.   Hope this helped.

My open RNY incision took about 7 months to heal....I had a wound care nurse, and because I have an autoimmune disorder, my medications inhibited healing...I eventually got what is called a wound vac...it sounds way worse than it is, but it is a little machine that  draws away fluid from the the wound and helps it heal.   I went back to surgery twice to have dead tissue removed...All in all it was pretty awful, and totally unexpected....Sometimes I wonder if I went deaf when I was at the intoductory seminar and the prep classes.  I saw all of these successful weight losers and I really didn't think alot about the list of complications....

UPDATE: It's closed. Actually has been fully closed a little over a month. A pretty nice scar remains 1" x 1" and it's indented a bit but i guess it could be worse!

I have 2inch open wound on stomach leaks constantly I have to change dressing 5 times a day I am getting Si depressed help me please

My incision was left open also because I had a blockage in my intestines which caused a leak. I was left open for approx a month. I have a small picture of it when it was open and I will try to put in on here. It was as long as one of those long medical cue tips. If it doesn't show up you can see it on my profile..

I developed a leak not from the original surgery but from the bezoar that formed after surgery.  It also healed itself but I was in ICU and vent for five days then in hospital 2 more weeks while it healed.

Is anyone still afraid that they will leak again?

How long did it take to start eating normal after having the feed tube out?  Mine has been out over a month but I am having a hard time keeping afternoon food down.