How Often Should Wound Packing Be Changed

Packing Removal or Replacement, Wound Care

Wound Care After Packing Removal or Replacement

Packing is a special blazon of dressing placed inside some wounds to help them heal. Once the packing is removed, you lot need to intendance for your wound. Practiced wound care helps prevent infection. Be sure to keep all follow-up appointments with your healthcare provider. Follow these instructions to accept care of the wound one time y'all're at home.

Home care

Your healthcare provider may prescribe medicines for pain. Or he or she may suggest an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Talk with your healthcare provider earlier taking any OTC medicines if you take chronic liver or kidney disease, a stomach ulcer, or gastrointestinal bleeding. In sure cases, you may also need to take antibiotics to help prevent infection. If so, accept them exactly every bit directed for as long as directed. Don't stop taking your antibiotics until they are all gone, even if you feel improve.

Here are some full general intendance guidelines for your wound:

Follow your healthcare provider'southward instructions on how to care for your wound. Always launder your hands with soap and warm h2o earlier and after tending to your wound.
If a bandage was put on, remove and change it once a day or as directed. If the bandage gets wet or dirty, replace information technology as before long as possible with a new bandage. Use a clean cloth to gently pat the wound dry.
If your packing was replaced, a modest piece of gauze may hang from the wound. It allows fluid, blood, and possibly pus to keep draining from the wound. You may need to use an ointment or cream to keep the packing from sticking to the bandage.
Don't bathe in a tub or soak your wound until your healthcare provider says information technology's OK. Take showers or sponge baths instead. Don't swim.
Don't scratch, rub, scrub, or selection your wound.
Check your wound daily for the signs of infection listed beneath.

If your wound was closed, it was probable with one of iv types of closures. These include stitches (sutures), strips of surgical record, skin gum, and staples. Your healthcare provider will decide on the best closure based on the size and location of your wound. Each type of closure needs specific care.

Sutures. You lot may desire to clean the wound daily after the first ii to 3 days. To do this, remove the cast and gently wash the area with lather and warm water. Later cleaning, use a thin layer of antibiotic ointment if recommended. Then put on a new bandage. Sutures on the outside of the pare ordinarily demand to be removed by your healthcare provider.
Surgical tape. Go along the expanse dry. If it gets moisture, blot it dry with a towel. Surgical tape closures usually fall off inside 7 to ten days. If they have non fallen off later on 10 days, you lot can remove them yourself. To remove the tape, utilise mineral oil or petroleum jelly on a cotton ball to gently rub the adhesive.
Pare gum. Y'all may shower or bathe as usual. Just don't use soaps, lotions, or ointments on the wound area. Don't scrub the wound. Afterward bathing, pat the wound dry with a soft towel. Don't employ liquids like peroxide, ointments, or creams to the wound while the strips or film is in place. Don't scratch, rub, or pick at the strips or film. Don't put record directly over the strips or film. Skin agglutinative picture show will fall off naturally in 5 to 10 days. If it does non pare off in ten days, gently rub petroleum jelly or an ointment onto the movie.
Staples. Take showers or sponge baths. Don't take tub baths. Don't use lotions on the wound area. The area may be cleaned with soap and water 2 to iii days after the wound was stapled. Don't scrub the wound. Pat it dry with a clean soft textile or towel. Yous can use antibody ointment if your healthcare provider tells you to. Staples volition need to exist removed in x to fourteen days.

Follow-up intendance

Follow upwards with your healthcare provider, or every bit directed. If your packing was replaced, you may need another visit within 1 to 3 days to remove or supervene upon it. If y'all have sutures or staples, return for their removal as directed.

When to seek medical communication

Call your healthcare provider correct away if you accept signs of infection:

Fever of 100.four° F (38°C) or higher, or every bit directed by your healthcare provider
Increasing pain in the wound or pain that doesn't get better even with pain medicine
Increasing redness or swelling
Pus or bad-smelling drainage from the wound. This can be normal for an abscess that has been opened or packed. This should not occur in other types of wounds.

Also call your healthcare provider correct away if whatever of these occur:

Your wound bleeds more than a small amount or won't stop bleeding.
Y'all have numbness or weakness in the wound area that doesn't become away.

StayWell final reviewed this educational content on 5/1/2018

© 2000-2021 The StayWell Visitor, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended equally a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional person'south instructions.