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ANNOYING PROBLEM AFTER FISTULOTOMY, WHAT DO I DO?!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/10/2009 11:14 AM (GMT 0)
cry  Can anyone give me advice on how to keep loose stools out of the fistulotomy wound? I tried wiping every way and I ALWAYS get a fair amount of 'poo' in the wound  which makes it HURTS SO BAD.

What if I just wipe it best I can then take a hot sitz bath? Will that prevent any infection? Or am I doomed?

I have been having diarhea two to three times a day ever since I passed the hard stools after the surgery. Its such a mess. And it sucks cause my home care nurse only comes once a day in the mornings.

I just want to heal. sad

P.S. - Someone (sorry I forgot the name) mentioned getting a hand held shower head and holding it by the wound to clean it out. If that 'someone' tongue or anyone else could help me out and tell me how to do that and at the same time keeping the mesh dressing in the wound, it would be much appreciated. THANKS SO MUCH.

Posted 11/10/2009 1:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I recommended the shower sprayer. You need to remove the dressing. I don't know the location of your incision and packing, but if it gets contaminated when you go, then it needs to be replaced. So remove it, spray it clean, and replace the guaze. I would talk to your doctor -- or his/her nurse assistant -- about how long you have to keep packing the wound. At some point, he/she will want you to stop packing it so it can heal. My doctor said to not pack it, but to place guaze on top if it just to catch drainage. But I am not your doctor and don't know your exact situation, so please call and talk to him/her about it. The nurses are usually easier to get a hold of, and often are caring and compasionate and will talk the time to answer all of your questions.

I straddle the side of the tub when I use the sprayer. I put one foot in the tub and keep one foot outside, and then sit down on the side of the tub. Then I spray away! Very easy. In the beginning when the guaze tends to stick to the wound (OUCH!), I would spray the guaze gently and the water would help it come off easier. Much less ouchy. Then I would use the toilet and then get back on the tub to spray it clean.

You really do need to keep the wound clean. In the beginning, I would wet the guaze with sterile saline before I put it over the wound. The saline helps keep it clean and promotes healing. You can buy sterile saline at the pharmacy, or get your doctor to write a prescription for it so you can get large quantities cheaper. Again, ask your nurse about it.

The beginning is the worst part, so hang in there! You will heal! You will get better! Healing is a slow process, but the body is happy now that the nasty abscess is gone!

Take care!
Posted 11/10/2009 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hey there.

Thanks for the advice, I think that is the easist way. And it definalty beats sitting in the bath for 20 minutes hoping that will clean it.

I just went again and because I dont have the shower head (I will get one tonight for sure) I am laying on my bed with a baby wipe in between my cheeks waiting for my boyfriend to come home and clean it up. Poor guy. Haha.

By the way! The incision is 7cm long stretching from just outside my bum crack on my left cheek (where the surgeon opened the abscess in the first surgery) to right over my bum hole. It is about 2cm deep. The deepest being a little pocket over my butt hole (where the poo gets in). :P
Posted 4/17/2018 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi OP. I know it has been years since this posting, but... My fistulotomy is right by the anus. When poo gets in it, the pain is horrendous. Did you ever find a technique to help with that? Whether I have diarrhea or soft stools, poo touches it and it burns like the dickens. I’ve started putting a glove on and covering the opening with a bit of gauze. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Thanks in advance for any help. Hope all is well.
Posted 4/18/2018 5:59 AM (GMT 0)
/www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=3919570

I posted the above link on the UC board a while ago. Have a read perhaps. It's about a bidet attachment I purchased. I wonder if it may in some way help.

I can visualize the issue you are having, but I have no experience with the 'after surgery aspects' and trying to keep the area clean during a BM. Only multiple small openings close to my anus.

I think It may help (the bidet attachment) however I am worried that spray might be to fine and severe (narrowly high velocity stream), versus a shower spray which might be 'softer' (lower velocity spray). I do think softer versions are available though. Alternatively the volume flow is adjustable.

Anyway it is the best investment I've made. Helped a lot with my complex fistula just by washing things out and keeping the area clean.

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An alternative might be one of those sitz pans after each BM, but I would think the showerhead idea might be a good (and easier) initial start.

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I did also see some large waterproof bandages that can be cut down to size with scissors. I wonder if that could be placed over the opening before a BM and removed after? Seems like quite a bit of work though.

Post Edited (Canada Mark) : 4/18/2018 12:12:33 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/18/2018 9:45 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the response. I bought a hand held bidet and will connect it today. It is a sprayer with adjustable pressure. I hope it works! Thanks again
Posted 4/20/2018 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hope it works as well and is not to painful, or cause issue. It's always difficult to decide what to do/try, the worst is when our 'home experiments' do not go as planned.

I'm actually a little surprised the doctors did not offer suggestions on what to do after the operation. One would think given the location that they would have something offer based on past patient experiences.
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