Just curious....

Who do some surgeons leave one of the incisions open that needs packed with guaze  for weeks after surgery until it closes? I noticed some people don't have to pack their incision and some do. Unfortunatly I am one of the lucky ones who packs. Anyone know?

 I don't know what the difference is. My husband had his surgery last week and 1 of his incisions had to be opened and packed.  It was the larger one on his left side. It started bleeding, so we called the office and they had him come in. The doc opened it, packed it and said it should heal just fine. We have to re-pack it twice a day.  I had the same surgeon on1/6/11 and did not have to do that.

Maybe the doctor feels that the incision would close from the outside in?  If it does that it can cause an abcess or tunnelling and cause problems and infections.  

When I had my surgery, I just had the steri-strips. 

If I really wanted to know, I would just ask the doctor when you see them next time.

Yes, it is exactly what Christina D. said. The surgeons that do that have probably had problems with patients wounds healing from the outside in. If the skin on the outside of the "hole" heals together and the inside isnt healed it greatly increases the possibilty of infection and an abcess forming. As your hole heals from the bottom up to the surface you will gradually put less and less packing in it until its not deep enough to put any more gauze in, then you allow the surface skin to heal together.

It's not something I am going to call my doctor over. I was just curious so I figured I would ask. This site is for getting opinions and support. Anyways, I did know that if it closes from the outside in you can get an absess, just wondered why it's so much bigger than the others and why only some people get it. No worries, Just something I was curious about. Thanks again! 

 I did not take the remark as telling you to call your doctor, I thought she said if  you were concerned about it to ask your doctor.  Like the next time you have an appointment.  

My biggest incison popped open on them and it had to be paked from the inside out and last Tuesday I was finally discharged from Home Health.  I was so happy when it was healed.