Flap Success in 12 weeks

12 weeks after ischial flap surgery the wound site is healthy, and relatively pain free.  I notice 'burning pins and needles' type pain during stretching,but nothing that interferes with daily activities.

Suture Spitting-not flap failure

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Five weeks after surgery, the surgeon said the site was healed and I could resume my regular activities. This would be sitting in my wheelchair 11or 12 hours a day.  Everything I had read indicated a 4 to 6 month recovery period, so I was pleasantly surprised, yet hesitant.  The next day I went out for 2 1/2 hours, rested in bed for 2 hours, then went out for 7 hours.  The following morning during range of motion, blood came out of a staple hole that was situated over the old pressure sore.  The next day a small piece of string was coming through the staple hole-see picture #1 and #2.  Called the surgeon in a panic, and made an appointment for the next day.  Upon examination, the Doctor explained that the wound was healing fast.  The sutures (which I did not know were there) under the skin had not yet dissolved, and the healing tissue was 'spitting' the stitches out.  He snipped the visual piece off (picture #3), and gave me a kit to remove any other stitches  that might push out.  There were three other spots where the stitches could be felt.  The surgeon said everything was fine. The stitches would dissolve with time.  The dark red scar would take 6 months or more to become a skin-colored scar.

Is this Flap Failure? No

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So  10 days after stitch removal, some parts of the staple-line edge have a gap. The gaps have a red color skin filling in. This is o.k.  I sat in my wheelchair (Roho air cushion) for a 2 1/2 hours and my pants left wrinkle marks-first picture.  Insurance won't cover a Roho seat cushion for my shower/commode chair (using the bathroom is not medically necessary), but I did not want to risk sitting on the surgery site without one, so spent my grocery money, and plan on Top Ramen for a month.  Second picture is of roho commode cushion marks after 2 hours.

Flap Surgery Healing

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These are day-to-day photos of the flap site healing, for the 2 weeks after the staples were removed. Kept up protein in diet, and rubbing coco butter and vitamin E oil onto the scar site.  Began gentle range of motion on both legs.  Of course the left leg (surgery site) was sore.  The leg will extend completely straight. During range of motion the leg is tight when trying to bend knee towards chest, just be very gentle--want to stretch the new skin, not stress the suture site.  Photo #5 shows the ripples on the thigh where skin needs to stretch.

Staple marks and open edges

The day after staples were removed

the scar is uneven and lumpy.  The surgeon said to begin sitting on the edge of the bed for 10 minutes at a time, several times per day.  Then  gradually increase the sitting time over a  2 week period.  Some people experience low blood pressure (fainting) when sitting upright after 3 weeks in bed.  I did not. However, the loose and uneven nature of the scar made me hesitate to put much weight, or pulling on the area.  So I continued bedrest (turning every 3-4 hours) for another week. Began rubbing the surgery site with cocoa butter and vitamin e oil to soften and heal the scar. Kept up the 60 grams of protein per day.  The second week I sat up for 30 minutes twice, with no dizzyness. Stil stayed off the wound site--on my side, on the couch or in bed. Next visit with doctor soon.