So annoyed ( probably based in fear!) but the district nurse has just been out to check wound and change dressing and incredibly, removed a further four stitches that had been left in! She said she cannot be certain that there are not more under the scab/ scar and I am so worried that if this is the case, the infection will go deeper into the ankle replacement and of the potential consequences of this.
Feeling really upset by it.
Apologies, I know that I’ve done nothing but whinge about this but I sharing with you knowledgable and supportive folk as I cannot bear to let my kids see how worried I am 😢
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Eiram50
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Please don't worry too much - there may be other reasons why you still have stitches there. They could be stitches that should have dissolved? Sometimes these don't dissolve in body tissues as intended and then work their way out. And if there are more then they may work their way out. there's an article here with some info: medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
And feel free to vent on here - that's what we're here for, amongst other things and it's safer to do that here.
Yes and today’s nurse, who was pretty thorough in her examination of the wound, said she couldn’t see and say for certain that there weren’t more stitches under the scab that’s now formed again?
Try bathing in lukewarm salt water and keep an eye on it. Any signs of swelling or redness head to A&E to get removed properly. I believe the A&E department are quiet just now. Take care xx
Practice nurse was to remove them, and removed some! Thereafter I have seen six district nurses. One nurse took 3 stitches out a few weeks ago and this morning, another took out another four!
I’ve called the secretary twice this week. Spoke the first time, message left today - nothing yet. Doctor said district nurses would assess and prescribed a further course of antibiotics and when I raised my concerns, were quite dismissive x
I've been following your ankle replacement progress with interest, partly as in Oct 18 I had the alternative of an ankle fusion.
I'm so, so sorry you have had this happen to you. It's very unfair. You are definitely not whingeing etc, it's very worrying for you. Let's face it, infections are something we all fear and dread following an op. So, vent away!
I truly hope it improves very soon. You seemed to be doing very well with the replacement prior to this avoidable complication.
I'm so sorry to hear this and please let it all out on here, I think you are going through it with this ankle. If these are not dissolving ones how on earth have they missed them? When I had a biopsy on my lip at the end of November they had to stitch it and while I knew they were dissolving, they took ages to go and ended up looking like I'd grown whiskers on my lip! I hope the antibiotics will help clear it, but may need more time by the sounds of it. If it changes or gets worse please seek advice. We are here and will keep you going if you need it, but medically please don't leave it keep on at them. Take care xx
They’re not dissolvable and we’re missed, I believe, due to her taking the stitches out and saying they were very tight - the wound then opened up and started bleeding, quite a bit. Instead of stemming the blood/ cleaning it up, she immediately put a dressing on it. I did ask at the time, ‘is that the stitches out’ and she said yes. I believe she missed them because of the bleeding
🥺🥺really not good . I think A letter is required this is making more work for the nurses when things are stretched never mind the discomfort and worry caused to you. Imagine if this happened to a more vulnerable person! I think constructive feedback is needed. Hope this the end of it now x
Agree . My confidence in the nurses is diminishing following your answers. Stitches to be removed are generally only skin ones??? It needs a tele conference I feel .
Generally, stiches at the end of a limb (further away from the heart) need to be removed between 7-10 days. I would have given 10 days as a prime target for you because of your history that you have shared.
It is completely unacceptable that the nurse didn't remove the stiches unless babe has a very clear and we'll documented reason why she didn't.
I wonder if you could encourage your GP to get an x-ray of your ankle to ensure that the infection is confined to soft tissue and not spreading near bine or the replacement? I'd so anything possible to get in contact with your Consultant surgeon. I'd even be cheeky and phone the hospital switchboard and ask them to put you through to his secretary. I think asking them to bleep him is a step to far...but very tempting!
Following the replacement, I had an appointment at the hospital, 10 days later to have them removed.
Stupidly, I went to the wrong hospital! I couldn’t then get an appointment and was told to get the practice nurse to remove them.
When taking them out, she said they were very tight and it hurt, so I looked round and the wound was bleeding- quite a bit. She then put a dressing on it. She didn’t stem the blood, wipe it etc in order to see if she had removed everything. Told me then to keep the dressing on a few days.
After this, I received an appointment for the following week for my first post op check.
At the hospital, they stayed the ankle and surgeon was extremely happy with it and said he’d do a referral for physio, but understandably, this would take a while due to covid and said he was happy to discharge me as based on all previous surgeries, I heal well.
They then took the dressing off and it just look like congealed blood covering maybe five inches. Nurse said not to redress but let warm water run over it in shower and the ‘blood’ would eventually wash away. She told me to wear a sock under the boot to offer some protection.
Numerous showers later, the blood became more of a scab and one day, the sock lifted a bit of the scab off and I noticed it looked pretty yucky underneath it. I also noticed what I thought was a stitch that had been missed.
Called the district nurse and she came out, had a look an FM told me it was infected. She cleaned it with cool boiled water and put another dressing on. Told me to change the dressing every day ( had no dressing a bit she’d hand some in) and in the absence of any swabs with which to clean it, told me to use kitchen roll! This was very clearly the wrong wound care advice and may well have exacerbated the infection. Between this nurse and today’s nurse, I’ve seen either six or seven of them and all offered contradictory wound care advice. And until today, none have noticed the other stitches that had been left in.
I myself had noted little black marks but just assumed it was where the stitches had been but them I am not a wound specialist or a practicing nurse.
I have now twice asked for the wound to be swabbed, with no success.
Sorry for the lung post but just wanted to be clear xx
No, it helps to have the whole sorry tale Marie. What I would be wanting to know is whatever happened to count them in count them out? When I had my stitches out (I went at 7 days but they weren’t ready to be taken out so I had half taken out at 10 days & the other half at 14 days) it was written down in the notes for the Practice Nurse to know just how many needed to be taken out. As it happened there were a few, 3 or 4 I think, which had to be cut out as the skin had grown over them, this was at the second visit, but at least she knew even covered by skin that they'd be there. It also noted that I had 18 internal (disolvable) stitches, irrelevant info as far as stitch removal but still listed as being done. I really feel for you Marie, it's bound to be a concern.
Do they still use silver dressings for wounds? My h's aunt had her toes removed on either her left or right foot (well it would be! Can't recall which) & it was used then successfully, going back around 5 or 6 years. Either way I’d still push for a swab to be done, it would bother me too so please do. x
I feel like I’ve done nothing but moan about this but I can’t tell you how frustrated I am. And, if honest, frightened.
Even in this year alone, I’ve had four different surgeries and no issues - none of these required stitches to be taken out though!
I have many relatives in the medical profession and it appears more or less up to the individual surgeon as to whether they record how many stitches are in- some do and some don’t. Unless they themselves are removing the stitches, this seems amiss, at worse and rather unhelpful, at best.
Nonetheless, I have left messages with my surgeons secretary asking him to contact me and I will look to clarify whether or not this information was passed over / recorded.
Over and above the infection, I actually don’t know what I’m doing? When the surgeon discharged me at the first post op check ( meant to be another 6 weeks after this), he said to not put my foot in the floor without the boot on but that I could take the boot off in bed. To then use my crutches for another couple of weeks and if I felt I could walk in the boot without them, to do so and then in another while, decide whether it felt right to try a soft shoe. He did referral to physio but warned it might be months.
He’s a lovely guy but I felt his directions were wishy washy and I have no idea whether I am allowed to even put my foot on the floor yet - just need some guidance and clarification from him.
Och, I’m moaning again! Sorry, just feeling a bit fed up and deflated by it all.
No, it's understandable. His instructions were general, if everything was progressing & recovering as it should, text-book style. But that's not the case & he's now being elusive when you really need to have personalised instruction. All I can think is to keep nagging away at his Secretary & hopefully you'll get the info you need, frustrating I know but sometimes it's what it takes.
It does seem odd that it's up to the Surgeon what's recorded in the notes... not that I should be surprised having seen what my h's Heart Surgeon recorded, little more than a scribble nobody could decipher.
Don’t concern yourself about moaning, better doing it here where we understand than it bubbling away, you have an outlet so use it. We'll be here for you. x
Sorry to hear that you are no further on after seeing yet another nurse and just getting more worried about it.You would think when they see how you are feeling about it they would take a swab which would ease your mind and theirs just in case of infection not good enough.One of the nurses at my practice who is lovely says sometimes we need to shout loudly but i am not the best at doing that but my hubby is as he is quick to let them know.Hope you feel better soon. x
I have nothing useful to add I’m afraid but just wanted to say how sorry I am with all that you are going through. I really do hope that there are no more stitches from and this is followed up for you. x
Oh my goodness, more stitches. What an absolute nightmare. I can understand why you are worried in case of the infection going deeper. Are you on antibiotics? I hope it gets better soon for you and that the infection clears up. How many stitches were there to begin with?
This is my second course of antibiotics within three weeks.
I dint know how many stitches. The scar for the ankle replacement is maybe 7/8 inches and then I have the scar where they fused my heal also and they kind of join up in bits? God knows. X
Yes it really sounds like the situation I had with my toe, contradictory information, all those antibiotics which were apart from the last course after swabbing were useless and along with the infection made me feel so ill with their side effects. They kept avoiding my requests for swabbing but as soon as they did swab they knew what they were dealing with so I'm struggling to comprehend why they are so reluctant to do this for you and you have my total sympathy. xx
I'd be annoyed too if i were you. Hope all works out well for you. Sounds like you're not having a good time right now. Wishing you all the best. You keep letting it all out. 🎈
You are not whinging. You have a very reasonable concern. Different types of stitches are used in different areas. If you have deep stitches they will probably be dissolvable. They may take longer than normal stitches. If it continues to bother you call your GP and explain your worries. Good luck x
As a rule, I’d agree. I’m not what anyone would call a natural worrier - I always just get on with tithings and even the worst case scenario, I can usually accept and formulate a plan for moving forward, if things were to go so badly.
Given the current climate, the ongoing infection, the mis information and the possible outcomes, I find I’m struggling a bit at the minute.
I would try and get in touch with plastic surgery at your local hospital because they have specialist nurses who are experts in wound care they maybe in contact with wound specialists who could come to your house and dress it properly or at least provide the proper dressings. I realise of course that you’re not under plastic surgery but they’ve dealt with members of my family who have had infected wounds. If not go to the hospital and get it checked out. Oh and by the way you can vent shout or moan as much as you like. On another note I had some stitches which were left in for six months they were still able to remove them at this time although it was uncomfortable.
As a nurse myself, I can say my dear friend that if the stitches are not the dissolvable kind then they must be removed after an allowed time, dictated by the GP. If not a severe infection can occur not only locally but generally. I don't know how long you are post surgery. Here in America in most cases not dissolvable stitches are removed between 5-10 days post surgery. I do hope all is well. Feel free to vent here that is why we have this network. 😊
The stitches were not dissolvable and were to be removed between 10-14 days . I had an appointment for the fourteenth day.
As she was taking the stitches out, she said they were very tight and the wound started bleeding, quite a bit and she immediately put a dressing in it - didn’t wipe or stem the blood . I asked if that was them all out and she said yes.
About 14 days after that ( approx) I noticed it looked infected and thought what I saw was a stitch at the bottom of the scab. District nurse came, agreed it was infected and removed three stitches that had been left in. I’ve now seen 7 different district nurses, 2 courses of antibiotics and at the last dressing change on Friday, the nurse found another 4 stitches!!
WOW! I am truly sorry this happened which it should have never happened. Here in America that has also happened yet is probably handled differently. Since medical professionals here are accountable for their actions and every medical decision they make or dil to make. I am sorry my friend. 😊
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