My port incision hasn't healed!

[waitingtiljan 0]

I had surgery on Jan 30th and my port incision still hasn't healed. It's actuall more open now and has this yellowish stuff inside. My doctor put me on antibiotics 3 times a day. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I'm so worried about it. I've heard some horror stories where it hasn't healed for months!! Can someone please ease my mind? Were you on antibiotics and it healed right up?? I don't get it wet anymore and don't put bandaids on it because it just makes it wetter looking. I was just taking showers..no soaking. He said that was ok. I just need to know if anyone else had this happen and did it heal ok for you.

Thanks!!!

[marjon9 6]

Yes, this has happened to others. My port incision took about three weeis to heal, so things are not really out of the norm just yet. I'm going to pass on to you a little bit of what I learned from reading this forum. I am definitely not doctor. I'm just doing this because you asked.

The potential problem is that "yellowish stuff inside." If it is clear and thin it is unlikely to be a problem. If it is thick this can possibly be a sign of infection. If you also have pain, heat, substantial redness, etc., these can be additional signs of infection.

I think all that can be said at this point is to follow your doctor's instructions religiously. It sounds like you are doing that. I would do some searches on this forum with words like "port incision" "port healing" "port infection." You will get more information that way.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but since you asked, every once in a while when a port incision does not heal it can be because of infection. An infection at the port incision can be serious. Not really serious from a medical point of view but serious from a financial and inconvenience point of view. In some rare cases it can involve removal of the port, a period of time for healing, and then implantation of a new port. I think in one or two cases the infection got to the point where the whole band had to be removed.

I'm telling you this because you asked. I think you need to keep in mind that the serious complications described above are rare, even for people who have a slow-healing port incision like you. The odds are very good that if you follow your doctor's instructions everything will work out OK.

The only thing I would add to this is to say that if you sense that something is getting worse on any level, contact your doctor immediately, without any delay. If the doctor is unavailable (or unresponsive), go to the emergency room.

Please let us know how it works out.

[kaboom 13 0]

I had the same problem!:cry My incision was open, yucky, yellow and gooey. So I took antibiotics for two weeks, and twice a day I washed with peroxide, then betodine, once everything was dry I used the neosporing with antibiotic treatment and pain relief. It took about 1 week to finally close but it was really gross, it was like my stitches were too tight or something and tore my skin up.

Good luck!

Lots of Luv- Alice

Banded 12/20/06

Fill 02/03/07-1cc

Dr. Huacuz- Tijuana, Mexico:clap2:

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[marjon9 6]

I ain't no doctor but I do have to say that for me Neosporin was not such a good thing. When I talked to my doc about my slow-healing port incision he said that Neosporin was part of the problem. He said it was good for surface abrasions, etc., but for deep cuts like a surgery incision it can actually make things worse. He told me to stop with the Neosporin and just keep it clean and dry. Once I did that it closed up pretty quick. Just wanted to pass that along.