karenmeal 0 #1 September 27, 2006 So I was inspected my now 2 week old scar this evening. Earlier in the day I had cleaned it with cotton balls and hydrogen peroxide. As I was checking it out this evening I noticed some white stuff in the incision part. I figured it was cotton.. so I got some tweezers and gently pulled on it. It took a half inch of pulling on it before I realized it wasn't cotton ball fluff but my internal stitches that I was pulling out of my incision! Fucking gross. My cut started bleeding and I cleaned it up and put some sterile gauze over it. So.. do I call the doctor? I'm kinda worried about this stitch hanging out of my incision and it possibly introducing germs into my leg. Or am I just freaking out over something silly? I wanna puke right now! "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #2 September 27, 2006 I'd probably not worry about it. Internal stitches are meant to stay in. As far as I know they dissolve over time. I'd just keep it clean and leave it alone. Whatever you do........DONT pull on it anymore. Ugghhh...........stop reminding me how nasty knee surgery is going to be! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zee 0 #3 September 27, 2006 I wouldn't worry about it. When they grafted my leg I ended up removing most of the 200 plus stitches myself. Just make sure to keep the wound clean and air it out for a few hours a day and you should be fine. Z Action©Sports Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #4 September 27, 2006 Karen....I'd call. It may be no big deal, but it's easy to make a phone call. linz-- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #5 September 27, 2006 I agree--a quick phone call, perhaps even a quick visit and $20 co-pay is worth it for preventative reasons. It's probably no big deal, but for that slight chance it is, you'll save yourself a lot more time & money later.QuoteFucking gross. Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #6 September 27, 2006 surgery of any kind is serious stuff. be careful to "not just assume" that all is well. the operating room, despite all the precautions, sterilization procedures, and Denials by hospitals... IS a dangerous place... Tell your Doctor. of your concerns,, ask Her or Him to order blood tests every 2 weeks, in order to monitor your white blood cell count....An elevated count can be the indicator of trouble brewing,,,, in the form of an infection...Drawing blood is not that painful and can be accomplished easily. In our area there are many sattelite offices with whom doctors work, that will collect, label and send for analysis, a sample for your doctor. It is simple, and quickly done... I had shoulder repair, last November which later developed a large and serious infection . It showed itself after months of slow progress and painful recovery time. 2 surgeons have told me that the infection could have come at the time of surgery... WTF????? I'm not trying to scare you,,, I'm only saying Do Not be complacent. I was, and it cost me, as the infection deteriorated the repair which was done at the original surgery. I figured, well this just takes time, and bought into the idea, that recovery was supposed to be sloooow.... I needed 2 operating room precedures to 'wash out' the infected joint, and while i AM now gaining strength, I am waaaay behind on a pace to normalcy....These Docs are busy busy, and they do a dozen or more surgeries a week. If your post OP doctor visits are like mine,,,,, they only amount to a 10 or 15 minute visit every 6 or 8 weeks.... If there is trouble with an incision, or even deeper inside the knee, shoulder, or any other body area.... best to find out about it sooner than later... Judging by the insurance documents which indicate the Doc gets paid thousands of $$$$,,, for the surgery ( regardless of it's success or failure ) and also get a rate of about 25 dollars a MINUTE for office visits..... I would say you are within your rights, to ask for and receive an analysis and blood tests to adress your concerns..... good luck. jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nursecook 0 #7 September 27, 2006 Karen, The body is suppose to dissolve the internal suture. Not everyone’s body with dissolve sutures. The white stuff is dead white blood cell because the body believes that there is something foreign to the body. Yes, you should go see the Doctor, he/she will probably pull the internal suture. I don’t know what post instructions that they gave you but you should not use peroxide on an incision. Peroxide kills granulated tissue (new tissue growth.) You should use just soap and water… Call the Doctor… Mark Cook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #8 September 27, 2006 Some physicians instruct patients to use peroxide. I don't, but I certainly wouldn't contradict her Orthopod's instructions.... Bad manners :) linz-- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #9 September 27, 2006 The cool thing about internal stitches, is that if you pinch your nose really tight, and blow really hard, sometimes they come out of your ears.Funny how nature works. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #10 September 27, 2006 Don't use cottom balls, I will advice to use gause 2-2.5" Call your doctor, specially if you have a temperature. Just to make sure you did not get any infection (or nosocomial infection)..... Good luck and hope you recover soon."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #11 September 27, 2006 Ok... well my doctor didn't recommend that I should use peroxide.. I just thought it might be a good idea. Guess I'm a bone head. Would using a soap such as plain ol' neutrogena be more appropriate for cleaning? It is definitely internal stitching.. not white blood cells or something. I can see the braid/twist of the material. I don't have a fever at all. I only got worried about the cleanliness of my incision after my PT used a bunch of cocoa butter to massage my knee. My steri strips (that are 8 days old today, I had my stitches out at the time that they were put on) got all slimy and one came off completely exposing an area of my incision that hadn't crusted over like the rest of the scar.. so I decided to clean it. I will call the doctor today. I quit freaking out so much once I realized that I probably wasn't pulling on the stitch that was involved in the new attachment/insertion point of my VMO (muscle). "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #12 September 27, 2006 I once nearly severed my ear in a fall. The cartiledge was all messed up and a sliver was sticking out of the rip. I used some nail clippers to clip it off and used duct tape to hold the ear in place while it healed...worked like a charm. No scar, no problem. I have a cast-iron constitution and my healing process works much better than most. Not: Do not do as I do. Your call to the DR is a good thing. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #13 September 27, 2006 I recommend squeezing all the goo out and using it as a soup base. Yummy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #14 September 27, 2006 You'll be okay : ) I had surgery and my body would not absorb the internal stitches. They came out through the incision. My doctor told me to just trim them off as they came out.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #15 September 27, 2006 Oh! That is good to hear. But I had a whole lot of internal stitches...could they all come out? "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #16 September 27, 2006 Duct tape ? thats awesome ! smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
