Apologies if you feel this is inappropriate to the forum but having searched HU I cannot really find a relevant forum. I must get backing to sorting an Amputee Support Forum.
Some of you may be aware that I am having a stump problem that has brought progress with the prothesis to a halt. At the end of January I developed slight pressure sore (no broken skin) just over an inch below the kneecap and near where the tibia terminates. After it developed a small blister I was told to rest it and that it should clear up in three or four days. However it swelled up and burst letting out puss and blood. Despite cleaning and dressing it spread to about the size of a 50p piece. The photograph was taken today. I was wondering if anybody have any thoughts/experience? Thank you for reading...
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MichaelJH
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I am starting to think maybe the Vascular team that amputated after the angioplasty failed. However the consultant at the Limb Fitting Centre should have relevant experience as the greater percentage attend have lost limbs due to PAD caused by diabetes and/or smoking.
I am and it has been seen by GP, district nurses, and consultant and amputee nurse in Limb Fitting Centre. Besides being cleaned and dressed (somewhat irregularly) I have also had a course of Fluoxacillin and two swabs have been negative. So really looking for ideas and experiences. Thank you for your reply.
If you see my reply to Ali_H I have since day one. Thank you for replying.
Hi MichaelJH, Thank you for being brave enough to share this picture with us, as difficult for some people to see as it is, it's a very real wound and a hard situation for you to be facing.You really must contact your medical professionals about this, for proper advice, but as an ex-nurse from long ago, I will say that your wound does not look particularly troubling right now. It is sloughing (which is what that central gooey bit is, and the new skin is pink and healing well. But, whenever you are in doubt, always take the time to ask that vitally important person, your doctor and/or nurse, for the real advice. Take care and I hope you continue to heal well.
Thank you for your reply and helpful explanation. I find it both worrying and frustrating as I have done nothing with the prothesis for over seven weeks now. All the best...
Hi Michael, that looks pretty nasty .I'm sorry to see that you're having problems .A friend of mine has had the same kind of amputation as you a couple of years ago and is also diabetic. She's had quite a few problems like you're experiencing but a trip to the practice nurse has usually helped .I suppose getting an appointment isn't easy but keep a close eye on it and reach out for hospital help if necessary. Hope it heals soon.
My dear brother had two artificial legs for thirty nine years and he often had to stay indoors and wait for his leg-ends to heal. He said that only the fresh air would heal them. His wounds were caused by friction against his prostheses but yours sounds like an infection and I would contact your general practitioner without delay. I’ll be thinking of you. Con amore. Bx
It would seem that the problems (I looked up Peripheral Arterial Disease) that caused you to lose your leg might be preventing it from healing.My nephew nearly lost both legs - he had a BASE jumping accident, and broke many bones, including smashing both femurs.
He eventually lost a few inches of height - but was able to walk (on his own legs) five years later.
Thank you. It could be the PAD. That is why I have such a short stump. Absolutely horrible disease which is why I urge anyone with early signs to make appropriate lifestyle changes.
Time to return to your doctor, please don't let it continue further. I didn't do a great deal of Orthopaedics in my training, but a septic wound like that needs urgent attention IMO. Especially if that is to become a weight bearing area when you get a prosthetic.
As a Diabetic it is doubly difficult for you and you need to jump (sorry!) on any hint of infection PDQ.
Please,please get to a wound care center. you should get vascular evaluation, ultrasound, possibly angiogram. in addition to pressure relief and removal of dead tissue, also culture of tissue.best of luck.
So sorry to hear you`re having such a difficult time of it.I can`t offer advice except a friend of mine experienced the same problems and was as frustrated and worried as you are.It cleared up eventually and he was soon walking about but occasionally it rubbed and he had to rest then.Hope problems soon resolved.
I don’t have stump experience but I do have a condition that causes skin blistering.
On my last outbreak the wound was very big and deep. It bled and just wouldn’t heal with my normal wound care routine.
I ramped up my wound care to the next level.
I used medical grade Manuka Honey. I cleaned the wound thoroughly then applied a generous amount with a sterile swab spread it out beyond the wound edges dressed it with sterile bandages. It healed amazingly quick and really didn’t leave the usual bad scar behind that I normally have.
Try this treatment. The honey is expensive but well worth the investment. You may need to do this a couple times a day at first. Then as you see good healing reduce it to once daily.
As for the blistering/rubbing issue...once your wound is healed try using a moleskin cover/plaster over the area in question.
I used this on numerous places myself. It provides a protective barrier between the skin and the offending cover.
I didn’t have problems with the adhesive which I normally do.
Thank you for replying! I will raise it with the amputee nurse if it looks the same when the dressing is next changed. Sadly I feel the district nurses are slightly out of their comfort zone.
A lot of medical professionals don’t think of natural resources such as the manuka honey.
It heals so many hopeless conditions in the animal world too.
Another treatment is laser therapy. That promotes circulation and healing too.
I read from your replies that you’re diabetic so am I.
Keep me posted about your progress if you don’t mind please.
Sorry you lost your leg.
Best wishes always my new friend.
EJ 🤗🥰🙏💗
I apologize if this sounds dumb...have you tried hydrogen peroxide? Just pour it over wounds and it fizzles. I am not a doctor and would definitely keep track of it like you are doing and keep the doc informed.
Hi MichaelJH, I'd still say much the same. Most people with an ulcerated area really worry about that gunky looking stuff, and fear it's infection, but it's the wound sloughing off. It's made up of dead white blood cells, cellular debris and old dead tissue, and the wound's getting rid of it all while working on healing. I worked daily for a while with ulcer wounds and the area to pay most attention to is the edges of the wound and the raised areas within it. In this case, they seem a healthy colour and there are areas of granulation within the wound, this being new connective tissue and tiny blood vessels forming on the surfaces of a wound during the healing process. But of course still check with someone who is looking after you specifically and who is bang up to date with advice and treatment options, which I'm not! Take care!
Thank you. I have to admit I like the fact you admit you are not up to date. At one stage when I was in hospital on intravenous antibiotics (this occurred on a number of occasions) a retired nurse (who had come back because of the pandemic) said the cannula needed changing. This was despite the antibiotics finishing the next day. I told her it was unnecessary under NICE guidelines as there was no infection or inflammation and the cannula was patent. She insisted and made multiple botched attempts leaving me with a battered arm and the original cannula in place. She is the only nurse I have ever reported!
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