Tips for Healing Pelvic Abscess from Crohn's Surgery?

Has anyone had any experiences with abscesses as a result of Crohn's disease or surgery? I currently have a pelvic abscess as a result of my surgery. It has been 4 months and it is not even close to healing up. Any tips in speeding the healing process would be appreciated. Thanks. Penguins7

Can they remove the abscess? Is this where your incision is at?

For me, I had to have my staples removed from my abdomen before my incision actually closed, so I left the hospital with a Wound Vac machine. After about 5 months of my incision/wound not healing, the wound care doctor in my surgeon's office reopened a portion of the wound to make it a little larger and actually found an abscess, which he removed. There was actually no indication that I had an abscess. After that, my wound closed up pretty quickly.

The first 4 1/2 months, I used a wound vac machine on my abdomen, but once that wasn't really helping anymore, I went into my surgeon's office so many times a week for them to change the bandages and monitor the progress.

I am not sure if that is what you were looking for, but if you have any other specific questions, let me know.

Hi Penguins7,
I had an abdominal abscess which was operated on and a drain put in place. 12 months later,
I had a colectomy. The open wound was a whopper, the size of half a grapefruit. It is now 20 months since the surgery and the wound is still open and oozes gunk.

When I asked the surgeon about the open wound, he merely replied that he wanted the wound to heal from the inside out!

I realize this is absolutely no help to you and not in the least encouraging. I just wanted to moan.

Hi penguins7,
I have suffered from Crohn's and had an abscess next to my stoma. The surgeon lanced the abscess and drained it, and in my case, it had to heal from the inside out. So I had to pack it until it was completely healed.

I had my surgery in December and the abscess appeared to be healing from the inside. It had about 5cm to go and then last week they found another track branching off this one another 5cm. It was discouraging to say the least but now I may require additional surgery to help heal it up. It leaks and is such an inconvenience to deal with daily. Oh well, thanks to all for your responses. Penguins7

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Hi penguins7,
Sorry to hear about the additional problem. Can anything be done in the meantime? I hope the surgery will be a last resort.

Take care,
Neri

Hi Neri, they keep telling me the same thing that it needs to heal from the inside out. This has been trying to heal for going on 4 months. They told me to try packing it 3 times a day and this should help. I wonder if an increase in protein intake would help accelerate the healing process. Surgery is the last thing I need right now. Thanks for your response. Penguins7

Penguins7,

When I was trying to get my wound to heal, the nurses did tell me to make sure I ate an increase of protein because that was important in the healing process. Are you seeing a wound nurse? Because if not, I would recommend finding a wound doctor/nurse because they will know of ways to help you in case the current way is not working.

sfgiantsfan, thanks for your help. I have been seeing a wound care nurse and she recommends packing it 3 times a day. I have been trying to increase my protein intake lately too. Hope all is going well with you. Penguin

Might I ask what you are packing them with if other than gauze? There is a packing out there that is infused with silver and especially prevents infection and speeds the healing. I feel

Hi Garfish. I tried the silver packing for a few days and recently ran out. Did you use the silver? I have an appointment next week and will inquire again about silver packing. Thanks. Rod

Yes, I used it until my open wound was down to about a 1/2" in diameter. The wound started off large enough for the surgeon to put his whole hand inside the wound. They also used a vacuum to help drain and close the wound. It took right at 6 months to close the hole completely. Yes, it takes a while to let Mother Nature do her work. If you need, I'll drag out my old wound kit and get the name of the packing. Good luck

Gary

Hi there Penguins7, this topic sure brings back memories. It was ten years ago when I had my surgeries and at the three month mark I went back to see the surgeon and when he looked and seen a four inch section of the surgical scar still open and so proceeded to treat the open wound with, I believe was silver nitrate and told me to have my doctor give me a prescription for these sticks, but my doctor said there was no need for an Rx and he pulled out a pack of these sticks, about the length of a soda straw with a grayish blob on the end and he did another session with the silver and told me to come back in a week and when I did the opening was down to about 1/2 inch, so another session with the silver and by the next week it had completely healed on the outside anyway, but that was the last i had need for that procedure. This really worked well for me and just passing on what I really found to be a quick and easy way to heal an open wound. Hope this will give you something to discuss with your doctor so take care and good luck, Ed

Thanks, Ed. I am getting very frustrated with this abscess. I know the true meaning of a "real pain in the ass".

I have been packing it 3 times per day and the wound is 9cm deep. It was down to 5 cm and then a leg spurred off this one that they found to be back at 9cm which was depth after my surgery. I have to work each day and it is a real inconvenience. Oh well thanks for your help. Rod