Multiple pregnancies, significant weight loss and heredity influence the look and condition of the midsection. Sometimes loose skin and fat accumulate around the belly, and no amount of exercise seems to get rid of it. A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, becomes an option for those who wish to enhance their abdomen's appearance, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. A tummy tuck is major surgery and, as with other major surgeries, infection can result. An open sore at the incision site typically indicates an infection and demands immediate medical attention.
Identification
Surgical site infections account for 17 percent of all reported infections associated with health care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One to three of every 100 patients develop surgical-site infections. In the case of an open sore, steady drainage of pus or cloudy or greenish fluid indicates the presence of infection. Accompanying symptoms typically include fever, pain, redness, chills and excessive sweating.
Considerations
The majority of infections after a tummy tuck stem from improper post-operative care on the part of the patient, according to Docshop.com, an online health-care resource. Therefore it is important that tummy tuck patients understand and follow their surgeon's instructions on caring for their incisions before they leave the hospital or surgery center. This includes when you should change the bandages, when you can get the incision site wet and how you should clean it.
Infection Risk Factors
Certain lifestyle behaviors trigger a higher risk of open sores, infections and other post-operative complications, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Smokers especially may encounter healing delays and infection because of poor circulation. Smokers' skin cells receive less oxygen overall than nonsmokers, and oxygen speeds tissue recovery.
Effects
An open sore after a tummy tuck and other forms of surgical-site infections will extend the duration of healing time necessary to recuperate from the procedure and in some cases will bring about more apparent scarring, says Docshop.com. Although the wound eventually heals and fades with time, incision lines will be permanently visible, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Prevention/Solution
Avoid open sores after a tummy tuck by adhering to a few common-sense post-operative rules. In addition to the obvious -- wash your hands before and after you touch the wound -- the CDC recommends that you ask family and friends to wash their hands or use an alcohol-based sanitizer before and after they visit you, as well as if they need to help you change your dressings. Anyone else who touches your incision area should also wear surgical gloves. Contact your surgeon the instant you notice any symptoms, and the infection will be treated with antibiotics.
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