Gross Wound - Need Advice!

Hi Terry,
Are they having you use plain gauze, or gauze doused with something like Betadine?   Dry gauze would be awful to have to manipulate like that.   I had an incision that had to be packed (my mom did it for me, g_d bless her) and for a few weeks, it was betadine-soaked gauze.   I developed a sensitivity to that and we had to get a bleach-based solution compounded at a pharmacy.   Even sterile saline would be better than dry gauze.
You should be able to find single packaged, sterilized "long" Qtips at a med supply, or your home health nurse should be able to secure some for you.    You sort of wrap the gauze around the end of the Qtip and pu**** down.   And it does feel and look bizarre.
 

Any chance you can get to the wound clinic tomorrow?   Maybe if your physician called them directly and requested that you be seen ASAP.   I almost think they would be better capable of helping than the surgeon's office would at this point.

The gauze is saturated with saline.  As far as an appt, they said it was a 2 hour appt and they didn't have anything earlier.  My doc's nurse hasn't called me back!  Imagine That!  T

I'm no longer a practicing medical professional and do not claim to be one ;) but this reminds me of a patient I had about 8 years ago. He had a crater wound on the inside but only a small opening on the outside. To pack his wound we would take the gauze that comes in a roll and a looong sterile cotton swab (q tip) and use the cotton swab to push the gauze in just a little at a time. This got the gauze down in the wound to absorb the ooze and also kept it from having the cork effect you described. We'd just fill it till we couldn't fill it anymore and leave a corner of the gauze sticking out so we'd have something to snag when it was time to pull it out and change it.

Regardless of what you choose, maybe you could hop in the bathtub when you change it so it doesn't make such a mess. Good luck!

Thanks for the info.  My problem is that once I get the first push through ( with the skinny end of the qtip)  no more will poke through.  It is too tight of an opening or something.  I push until I feel sick!  I am also worred about using the wrong end of the qtip even though that is what I have been told to use.  I just can't get enough down in there.  I'll work harder tomorrow.  T

I wonder why you have to pack it?  Seems like you would put gauze on the outside and let it drain? 

In some cases (this one probably) the point of the packing is to act like a wick and draw the fluids out. It helps prevent infections, abscesses, etc.

I think I hit the wrong reply button, But HEY CHAD!  T

Hey Terri. Sorry you are going through all this. How is the leak test going though?

The leak test is going just fine.  Nothing in the bag - hoping tube isn't stopped up!  I don't know if I am drinking enough though!  I can only manage about 30 oz. per day.  Partly due to laziness, partly due to trying not to waste expensive juice, and partly well.... guess just laziness and fullness! 

I called Doc today, a couple of times, one to tell them no leak so they can go ahead and schedule some other leak test, other to just complain about this hole! 

Never heard back from them!  Imagine that!  Watching food network!  Can't wait to eat again..

Oh, I see.  Thanks!