When an Incision Reopens
Dehiscenceis asurgical complicationin which the edges of a wound no longer meet.
It’s also known as wound separation.
A wound that separates after surgery won’t close neatly and will be weaker after healing.
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It is also at greater risk of becoming infected.
Dehiscence: Definition
During an operation, your surgeon makes an incision or cut.
Depending on thetype of surgery, this can be a fraction of an inch or spread across several inches.
Underlying Health Issues
Your risk of wound dehiscence increases if you have certain types of medical conditions.
Dehiscence Symptoms
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Wound dehiscence most commonly occurs six to eight days after surgery.
Often, the skin around the edges is red and inflamed.
Pus or other liquid may be draining from the opening along with blood.
Evisceration is an emergency and should be treated as such.
For instance, intestines may spill out of an abdominal incision.
Your healthcare provider may use a number of different strategies to treat wound dehiscence.
Treating Evisceration
About 20% to 45% of cases of dehiscence become evisceration.
The risk of death is much higher once an evisceration develops.
Evisceration is always a medical emergency.
Wound evisceration is treated with emergency surgery.
The multiple cuts are perpendicular to the wound line.
They allow the skin to come together more easily and heal better with less scarring.
Summary
After surgery, incisions may not heal properly.
When the surgical cut fails to close or reopens, it’s called a dehiscence wound.
If the wound separates significantly, your internal organs and tissue could push out of the incision.
This is known as evisceration.
Get to an emergency room immediately if this happens.
Poor nutrition, obesity, and infections can increase the risk of complications related to healing.
it’s possible for you to lower your risk by eating well and avoiding certain types of physical activities.
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