non healing surgical wound

[Ashleylk91]

hi everyone. I ended up posting about 9 days ago about my mom being intubated. She had emergency surgery about 2 weeks ago and got a wound vac on it. My mom ended up getting a tracheostomy a week ago and has progressed in a lot of ways since. She started tk wake up. Her blood pressure is under control without meds and a few to her things. However now her large stomach wound isn’t healing and has formed a fistula as well. It technically got worse as it’s now leaking. This morning they said her tube feeding was “spraying” out of her stomach wound. They stopped the tube feeding and put her on TPN to let her digestive track relax and tomorrow considering starting trickle feeding again. He told me if her body doesn’t start to heal ever that you end up succumbing to your injuries. Does anyone have any advice or history with this? She had emergency surgery regarding her colon resection failing. The incision is about a foot long and currently sitting open with a bag over it as the fistula is inside it. I’m just now so scared about this. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

[Exhausted247]

hi there - Ashleylk91 . I know how you are feeling .. my mum had an emergency laparoscopy and colon resection and was in ICU for a couple of weeks afterwards . She also has had problems with her wound not healing and 12 weeks in after all the drains coming out she now has to have it packed and redressed everyday . It’s a long old job especially when you think you are over the worst with the operation ❤️xx

[FamilyHistorian]

I agree with Exhausted247. Wounds can take time to heal. I was a patient of a certain age and took a long time to recover.

May I suggest 2 things (I’m not a medical person) Firstly was your mother on any medicines before going in. If so are they of a type that don’t aid healing e.g. I was on methotrexate so this had to be stopped.

Secondly are you content with the treatment she is getting, on the one hand you can get support from your hospital PALs or you can ask for a second opinion.