Wound care: Any suggestions? Stop heparin?

[RightSide]

I had a huge infected abscess on my back.  A surgeon lanced it and left a gaping hole in my back about 2 cm long and 1 cm wide for the pus to drain out of via a wick.  The pus stopped draining after a few days and it's healing, but VERY slowly.  Even after three weeks, it's still about 0.7 cm in diameter and still oozing blood slowly.

I'm not diabetic, so I'm surprised it's taking so long to heal.  So is the surgeon.  Does ESRD impair wound healing?

Is the heparin they give me during dialysis making the thing worse?  Should I ask the dialysis nurses to suspend it till the wound heals?

Any other ideas?

[silverhead]

The Heparin may have a very slight influence on it, but it is important to have it in your system during Dialysis, my question to you would be, are you taking any antibiotics to treat it?, and if so, are you taking it AFTER Dialysis so it can work in your body until it might be dialyzed out next treatment. Those darn things can be so slow healing, and it sounds like you are on the right track......

[Vicky]

I was told by our PD nurse that the heparin I put in Dave's bags each night does not leave the stomach cavity, because i was concerned about cutting factors. 

Some people just have a longer time healing.  if your wound is deep and there was a pretty good infection at the site it will take longer to heal.  I would make sure you tell your doctor it is still actively oozing blood so they can check it.  Might need a frew treatments with a woundVAC to help speed up the process of healing.

[willieandwinnie]

RightSide, I feel for you. My husband had a open abdominal wound for 4 1/2 years. It was the size of a dinner plate and about an inch deep. I had to pack it twice a day, wet to dry and finally the trauma surgeon prescribed SafGel. I would put some of that on the saline soaked dressings and then cover as usual. I think that stuff really helped. Finally after 4 1/2 years the plastic surgeon closed my hubby up. You really should have your doctor look at it because leaving them open like that is just asking for an infection. 

[Wallyz]

Wound healing is impaired when you are under dialyzed.  See if you can get  an extra treatment per week until it heals, or an extra 30 mins / session.

[aharris2]

RS, A lot of factors have been mentioned here. Let me add "Protein". You need protein for good wound healing.

But, as was said, get it checked (again) by a doctor, perhaps even a wound care specialist. There are a lot of options for aggressive therapy. Patience? Aggressive therapy? Depends on what the wound is looking like.

Just my 
Alene

[RightSide]

Thanks to all who responded for all your suggestions.

I've arranged for a visiting nurse to inspect, clean and dress the wound on a regular basis.  So far, she's told me that the wound is NOT infected, but it's just healing very slowly.

I did not know that inadequate dialysis might make wounds heal slower.  Thanks for that tip.  I'll discuss it with my neph.

I never heard of a "Wound VAC" before.  I googled for it.  Now that I see what it is, I'm pretty sure that none of my doctors and nurses have such a thing.  But I'll ask anyway.