Open RNY Incision and Steri Strips

I had open RNY on 3/15/11. I got my staples taken out the second week and the nurse put on steri strips. When she put them on I pointed out that the bottom of the incision was not closed and healed like the top. Long story short, she put the steri tape anyways and the incision seems to be pulling apart at the bottom and oozing a lot.

Is this normal?
How long until the steri strips fall off?
What were your experiences with this?

I had a similar problem. Was this the lower most incision? If so it's very common. If the skin is not warm/hot to the touch and you have no fever it should be okay. If otherwise call the office or nurse on duty.

My steri strips were on for 8 days or more. I actually purchased more steri strips and reapplied them and pulled the incision tighter. After 18 weeks it all looks wonderful....minimal scarring.

Yea!! I have one long incision from my chest to right above my belly button. The very botton of that incision is the part that is pulling. I showed it to my doctor and he said it was fine, but it worries me a little. And the steri strip on that part was pretty much coming all the way off so put some other tape I got when i was released over it to keep it down.

tell those *****es you want a plastic closure (name of closure) with 4-0 monocryl ASAP !!! If you have any "open skin" thats opportunity for infection to start. 

Call the surgeon's office ask them. Only they can tell you if it is something they are worried about.

Take your temperature too....see if you have a fever

Feel the skin around that area, see if it's warm or red

and (gross) smell the ooze, if it smells foul, include that in the information for the on-call doc.

Call the doc with this information, do it now, they get big bucks so they deserve to be disturbed! 

I had open RNY almost 8 months ago and experienced the same thing the day after my staples were removed I was in the shower and began to ooze from the lower part of my incesion.   Needless to say I kind of freaked out.   I called my Dr. and he asked a few questions like was it red, warm to touch etc.   He then assured me that it was probably old blood that needed to come out and it was normal to ooze a little. I healed up just fine.  I say though if you are worried call your Dr. as soon as you can it is better to be safe than sorry.

As far as my Steri strips they began falling off around 5 days i cut the lose ends off and by about 10 days they were all off.  

I am happy to share any of my experience with you just ask

Thanks for all of the input guys! I will call my Dr on Monday!! As for now, I guess I'll continue to trim my strips until then!

So you are at least 2 weeks out?

If it is just wider than the rest of the incision and not deeper (like inches) it's not much of a problem.  Let air get to it or it will take forever to heal.  My (open) incision was leaky at the top 1" it opened about 1cm wide but not deep.  It ended up scarring really bad and didn't heal until I took the band aid off and let it dry up.

Keep an eye on it for increased foul smelling dng, redness extending more than 1cm around wound, increased swelling or temp get ahold of your doc.

Good luck

Pup

Yes ma'am!! I am almost 3 weeks out!! 
Its wider than the rest, but not deeper!! It has a pinkish tint to it, which the doctor said something about scar tissue and oozing, I dont remember. It'll scab over, but then the tape will pull and the scab will come off!! ....just a never ending cycle!

Most Dr.s don't like to close an open wound due to trapping IN infection. When I had my hysto i came home with a 9 inch open wound that was abt 5inches deep. I had a nurse come and pack it in the morning and my husband packed it at night. It finally closed after 5 months. But had no infections that whole time and did my daily routine for the most part.