Surgical Wounds

If you have a surgical wound that isn’t healing, see the experts at VIP Wound, with offices in Memphis, Tennessee, and Holly Springs, Mississippi. Their wound care specialists treat nonhealing surgical wounds to lower your risk of infection and other complications. Schedule an evaluation by calling the nearest office today.

What are surgical wounds?

Surgical wounds are incisions, punctures, and other invasive skin breaks required during a surgical procedure. While many wounds heal effectively after surgery, some heal slowly, don’t heal, scar visibly, or become infected without proper wound care, especially in people with weakened immune systems.

See the VIP Wound experts at the first sign of an infected or nonhealing wound. 

Who is at risk of surgical wound complications?

People with an increased risk of surgical wound complications include those who:

• Smoke
• Have weakened immune systems
• Have diabetes
• Carry excess body weight
• Eat poorly
• Are undergoing chemotherapy
• Take immune-suppressing medication

Your risk might rise if you’ve undergone a lengthy surgical procedure or you’ve had to take part in emergency surgery. Pressure ulcers can also develop after surgery if you’re bedridden for an extended period.

What are the signs of a surgical wound infection?

Signs of a surgical wound infection include redness, warmth, fever, chills, and sores that are swollen, foul-smelling, or filled with pus. To avoid severe complications, see your wound care specialist at the first sign of an infected wound that isn’t healing.

How are surgical wound complications diagnosed?

Diagnosing complications caused by surgical wounds at VIP Wound consists of reviewing your medical history, examining your wound, and discussing your symptoms. Your provider might complete a wound biopsy, blood work, and imaging (X-rays, an MRI, an ultrasound, a CT scan, or another imaging procedure) to determine how best to treat your wound with minimal scarring.

How are surgical wounds treated?

Surgical wounds are initially closed using medical strips, stitches, or staples. If you have a nonhealing or infected wound, your VIP Wound specialist may recommend:

• Wound cleaning
• Debridement (removal of infected and dead tissue)
• Specialized medical bandages or dressings
• Oral, injected, or topical medicines
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
• Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)
• In-office dressing changes
• Wound care education
• Compression therapy
• Specialized footwear
• Off-loading
• Skin grafts
• Surgery
• Combinations of wound care treatments

They follow up to ensure an effective outcome and are always available to address your concerns and questions. Keep your wound clean at home, avoid smoking, eat nutritious foods, and get plenty of rest to optimize healing after surgery.

Schedule an evaluation at VIP Wound by calling the nearest office today.