I'm caring for my 59-year-old mother, who had an abdominal hysterectomy with ovary and lymph node removal for fibroid tumors and first-stage cancer. She's resting comfortably, and had her stitches taken out 12 days post-op. About 5 days post-op, she started to have drainage at the bottom of the incision, which is vertical and ends right over her groin. The drainage is yellow and red. At the stitch-removal visit, the Dr. assured us this was normal and removed her stitches. Since then, a hole has appeared in Mom's abdomen you could easily get a pencil into, maybe larger, and the discharge is still coming out. She says she's in no pain, and the site isn't red or tender, but this is really gross! The Dr. insists this is OK, and the discharge will stop on its own and the hole will close up after that. But the discharge has been coming out for 2 weeks now. I change her bandage at the drainage site 2-3 times a day, and it smells foul. Is this normal? WILL it stop on its own? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

from what I have read/known...no, its not normal. Especially if it smells foul. I would get a second opinion as soon as possible.

Good luck!

Gosh, I've had three C sections AND a abdominal hysterectomy and never had that happen. I would have to say that if there is a foul odor...definately get a secon opinion, in the back of my head I keep thinking "infection". Good luck!

Dear Armitage

Your mum must be very proud to have you caring for her. Its great that you are taking time out to help her. There are many who would not.

I agree with the previous posters. Your mum is not healing in the right way. Whilst it is common for some to heal slowly, there should not be a hole. The only good thing is that it is better for the gunk to drain outwards rather than inwards. If there is infection then not only would it smell but the skin would be inflamed and hot around the wound site and your mum would probably have a temperature. But even if it is not infected, she is a high risk candidate for getting an infection as she has just been through major surgery and has an open wound.

Carry on changing the dressings, but I would recommend that you get a nurse to check the wound. They are often better at recommending how best to care for wounds (for example they may recommend leaving it open or to put a drain in there). She may also need a course of anti-biotics. Is there any way you can get a qualified nurse to take a look. If not, then take her along to ER or to another doc for 2nd opinion.

Thanks for all the good advice! I took Mom's temperature the other day, and she doesn't have a fever. She's not taking any kind of pain medicine that might mask it, either--she says she takes enough pills already, and she insists she isn't in that much pain, if any. The site isn't red or inflammed--just gross! So I clean it and change the bandages as often as she lets me (I work full-time, and when I leave, she's sleeping, so I change it on lunch break and when I come home at night and before I go to bed). She's going to the radiologist on Monday for a consultation before she starts her radiation treatments, and she thinks he/she will look at her wound then. I doubt it myself, but we'll see after the appt. I'll come back afterwards and let you all know what he/she said about it. Thanks again!

Thanks for all the good advice! I took Mom's temperature the other day, and she doesn't have a fever. She's not taking any kind of pain medicine that might mask it, either--she says she takes enough pills already, and she insists she isn't in that much pain, if any. The site isn't red or inflammed--just gross! So I clean it and change the bandages as often as she lets me (I work full-time, and when I leave, she's sleeping, so I change it on lunch break and when I come home at night and before I go to bed). She's going to the radiologist on Monday for a consultation before she starts her radiation treatments, and she thinks he/she will look at her wound then. I doubt it myself, but we'll see after the appt. I'll come back afterwards and let you all know what he/she said about it. Thanks again!

Dear Armitage

Good luck at the appointment. From experience, my husband is a stage 4 bowel cancer survivor and has seen an endless stream of surgoens, oncologists, radiologists and more. Every one of them has always taken a look at his abdomen and felt around the surgery site. I would expect the same for your mom's consultation. They should see the wound. If they dont, you must make sure you tell them about it as it may have consequences on her tolerating any treatments like radiotherapy and chemo.

regards
ktee