Post Circumcision

[HappyABC]

I had a circumcision not long ago. The doctor told me to keep the wound clean, so I did. However, a number of days later puss came from the wound, indicating an infection. Apparently an infection can happen because the bacteria on the surface of the skin goes into the wound, is this correct? Is it quite common to get an infection post circumcision, because there is lots of bacteria on the penis and in the urine? Afterwards I had dehiscence. From what I have read on websites, the infection causes dehiscence, but how? Is it common to get dehiscence post circumcision? Pressure on the stitches from an erection could also be a contributing factor of dehiscence, couldn’t it? As a result, part of the wound healed by secondary intention, which meant that scar tissue formed. Any ideas of how to take care of the scar tissue?

[Hidden]

The intrusion of bacteria from any source into an open wound can cause infection. Urine is unlikely to be the source as, unless you have an UTI it should be sterile.

The inflammation and pus involved in an infection can stop the edges of the surgical wound from binding together. It is also possible that an erection can burst a stitch. This would lead to healing by secondary intention and more scar tissue. When the wound is healed you can massage the scar daily with something like bio oil to help it fade. If after that the scar is very bulky there may be a possibility of surgical intervention. I hope the latter does not become necessary for you.

[HappyABC in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I think I might of had a UTI, but I’m not sure. My urine was not clear, it was yellow/ orange. Can this indicate unsterile urine? Can the puss/ infection itself break down the stitches?

So, if the puss stops binding, the stitches would dissolve before the wound is healed then? So this is technically not dehiscence then, as the stitches did not burst, they only dissolved at their normal rate but could not join the edges. As a result the wound was left (with dissolved stitches) to heal by secondary intention. Am I getting this right?

Thank you for your advice on bio oil.

In general, when there is puss from a wound, is there anything that is recommended to stop the puss? Like using wipes to clean the wound? Or washing it with soap to clean it? Couldn’t the chemicals from that get into the wound and make things worse? Also, what is recommended to prevent puss / infection from occurring in the first place? I did try to keep it clean but clearly complications occurred.

[Hidden in reply to HappyABC]

You may need an antibiotic so should see a doctor and get it checked out.