Can you get stitches wet??

[peanutgallery 0]

I had knee surgery on Tuesday and the nurse in the hospital told me to keep the bandages on until I see the doctor again next Wednesday, I'm pretty sure she said not to get the stitches wet (I was reeaally drugged up, so i'm not 100% sure). Well I couldn't imagine having to keep the bandages on for 8 days so I called the doctor and he said, no way, i can take them off and just put band aids on the stitches. Great! BUT, i forgot to ask him about getting the stitches wet and I've already called the office three times this week to ask questions and i really don't want to call again. Anybody have experience with this? Can I shower like normal or do I need to cover it? My knee is all gross with medicine and I really want to wash it off. Help!

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke

[millertime24 8]

Little bit wet shouldnt hurt anything, but I wouldnt submerge them in water. Go to a Wallgreens or something like that and see if you can find any water tight (tape-like) covering you can put over tham while showering.

Muff #5048

[millertime24 8]

Here you go.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100946&navAction=jump&navCount=0&skuid=sku3931971&id=prod3933122

Muff #5048

[pyrodude 0]

Showering and washing off gunk with soap now is good. Soaking in hot tub, pool, or bubble bath before the sutures are out is bad.

[peanutgallery 0]

perfect! thanks, now if i can just get somebody to go get them for me :)

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke

[Andy_Copland 0]

I had stitches in my bum. The Dr spanked me when she took them out

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Peej 0]

When i had surgery on my arm last year i wrapped it in cling film, i thik you guys call saran wrap (?) when i wanted to shower

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[Unstable 8]

Sure you can - you just tell him to bring a towell.


Ba-dum Bum!!

=========Shaun ==========

[millertime24 8]

And if its a really big area you can get some of these.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100946&navAction=jump&navCount=1&skuid=sku392540&id=prod392539

Muff #5048

[tetra316 0]

Be careful with the whole taking the bandages off. I had knee surgery last fall and yes the bandages were supposed to stay on the entire week. They wanted to take them off when I went back in. Or maybe that's just preference. I just wrapped a garbage bag around my leg and tied it and took a quick shower.

[piratemike 0]

Hope your doing alright.

Are you still on lots of drugs?

How well are you getting around?

[peanutgallery 0]

I stopped with the drugs today, they were making me pretty sick and I'm doing okay without them. Hobbling around pretty well, it's actually way better than I expected. Hopefully I'll be back in the air in a few weeks

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke

[skydemon2 0]

Few weeks? I doubt that, I had minor surgery and was out for 5 weeks. I would guess a few months at least. Glad its done with and your getting better.

Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

[stitch 0]

I hope so, or I would be awfully dirty.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[Lindsey 0]

I never leave the bandages on myself, but don't submerge your knee until the wounds have healed. I'm guessing this was arthroscopic surgery? If it was open surgery, then don't get 'em wet at all until you've seen your surgeon again and the sutures are out.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[bloody_trauma 2]

so I'm the ward master for a post anesthesia care unit, were responsible for patient education before the patient goes home... that being said...

our instructions to the patient usually go home with them on an instruction sheet...

our guidance to our patients is to avoid getting the area wet as much as you can, like they said cling wrap can work, a better idea would be to get some large transparent dressing, i'm sure your knee had already been shaved for the surgery, but if not, shave it before you put that transparent bandage on, the ones 3m makes are called tegaderm, or op-site,

getting your sutures wet leaves you at risk for acquiring an infection, because the water gets wicked into your surgical site along with any nastys you just washed off... showers are not the cleanest places in the world...

as far as taking the bandage off, you really shouldnt, your knee is filled with fluid and is probably swollen with blood and lymph, taking off your dressing opens you again to infection because when that dressing is applied, your knee had been sterilized. that and your doctor will want to see any drainage that may have come out...

in any case, don't take any action until you can talk to your physician. he, like your skydiving instructor will be the most knowledgable person to talk to... he didnt spend all those years in medschool, and residency, and specialization for nothing...

Blue Skies hope your knee feels better, elevate your knee, take your NSAIDS (Motrin and what not), and keep on top of the pain and you'll do fine!

Fly it like you stole it

[kbordson 8]

Quote

in any case, don't take any action until you can talk to your physician. he, like your skydiving instructor will be the most knowledgeable person to talk to... he didn't spend all those years in med school, and residency, and specialization for nothing...

QFT.

But, I understand how you might feel that you don't want to keep calling with question after question (1st call - can I take off the dressing. 2nd call - can I shower. 3rd call - can I use soap. 4th call - which soap should I use. 5th call....).

Looking here online won't get you the detailed answers that you want, we don't know what the surgeon actually did, what suture is used (silk, vicryl, chromic) or even if the prep that was used is one that comes off easily with soap (betadine does, duraprep doesn't)

Best advice would be to kick back and limit your activities until you see him in a few days. Let some cute chicha help clean you up.