Wound Vac Removal

My knee replacement surgery was on Monday, June 11th, 2012.  I left the hospital on Thursday, June 14th with an ugly wound vac on my leg.  The plan was to have it removed during my first physical therapy session on the following Monday.  The wound vac never really did seem to work properly.  There was a tube connected to the wound vac that went to a small hand held devise just a bit bigger than a deck of cards.  I had to carry it around with me all of the time. Basically it was just a nuisance.  The wound vac ended up looking similar to a piece of beef liver taped to my knee.   

Anyways, on the Saturday after my release from the hospital the hand held devise started beeping.  We checked the instruction manual it said there was a possible leak.  The alert light on the devise was lit up also.  So, after many phone calls to the doctors office and the hospital we finally got a call back from the surgeon, Dr. Alan Holiday, and he spoke with my hubby about what was going on and he told him how to take it off.

Above is the start of him removing the tape that was securing the wound vac to my leg. Below is the wound vac partially removed.  I was afraid the thing would stick to the incision and pull but it did not at all.

 

And here is my swollen leg with 42 staples The reddish blotch on the left is a blister that had started forming the day after the surgery.  Of course pulling off the wound vac made the blister pop which was an ok thing.  Hubby pressed a clean tissue against it to help drain it and then applied a clean bandage.  Luckily the hospital had given us a couple of them.  

I know it is already June 26th as I post this but with all of the rehab I am doing and exercising at home and laying with my leg up it is not exactly easy to get to the internet.  I tried blogging using the I-Pad hubby got for Fathers Day but could not get the pictures to come up so I'm using the lap top.  

I have more pictures to share but it is ice pack time so must bid you all ado for now.

Be Happy, Be Healthy and Be Safe,

Tess