This is normal. Dehiscence: Incision edges separate during staple removal, Patient experiences pain when staples are removed. Your wound may itch or feel irritated. This reduces the risk of infection from microorganisms on the wound site or surrounding skin. 2. Care Advice. Complete patient teaching regarding Steri-Strips and bathing, wound inspection for separation of wound edges, and ways to enhance wound healing. This allows wound to heal by primary intention. Dr. Ew Christensen answered. Causes. Wound care after suture removal is just as important as it was prior to removal of the stitches. The health care professional performing the removal must also inspect the wound prior to the procedure to ensure the wound is adequately healed to have the staples removed. Using the principles of sterile technique, place Steri-Strips on location of every removed staple along incision line. WOUND CARE AFTER REMOVAL OF SUTURES OR STAPLES. 4. Check with your doctor about how long you need to keep your wound dry. Take good care of the wound so it will heal and not scar. Disclaimer: Always review and follow your hospital policy regarding this specific skill. What would be your next steps? Stitches are usually removed within 14 days, depending on the location of the wound. Keep your wound clean and dirt free. Prepare the sterile field and add necessary supplies (staple extractor). It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. After the first 48 hours, wash the wound as needed with mild soap and water. After the stitches or staples are put in, the area may be covered with a thin layer of ointment and covered with a nonstick bandage. Repeat wound care once a day until staples are removed. Steroid Injections . When both ends of the staple are visible, move the staple extractor away from the skin and place the staple on a sterile piece of gauze by releasing the handles on the staple extractor. You may cover the cut with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Staple removal may lead to complications for the patient. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. In general, staples are removed within 7 to 14 days. Apply dry, sterile dressing on incision site or leave exposed to air if wound is not irritated by clothing, or according to physician orders. You have increased pain in the wound area. Get in to have the wound evaluated to make sure there is not s ... Read More. You suddenly cannot move your injured joint. After surgery, you will need to take care of the incision as it heals. Do NOT pull or try to help the staple remover remove the staple….it will do this on its own. Contact physician for further instructions. Medical staples must be removed with a special staple remover tool. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits. Data source: BCIT, 2010c; Perry et al., 2014. i was glued closed instead of stitches and staples. Your staples will be removed when the wound is healed. It is normal to feel pain at the incision site. 3.Wound is cleaned with antiseptic. Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care by British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. Usually every second staple is removed initially; then the remainder are removed at a later time (Perry et al., 2014). Most of the pain and soreness where the skin was cut should go away by … 28 years experience Family Medicine. Additionally, infections can come about due to improper care of the wound, tainted materials in the operating room or many other sources. Concerns are present, question the order and seek advice from the surgery, the seriousness of stitches! Identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records reduces! 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