post op dressing left on for years

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Emergency Room.

Had a patient come in yesterday who complaint was frequent urination (DM, stopped taking insulin...hmmm) anyway.. he's an elderly gentleman never married lives alone no family. Used to farm. So the guy who farms his land brings him in and as he is undressing I note two "scabs" on his abdomen, periumbilical. He states he spent 3 months in a big city hospital where they did some sort of abd. operation... he doesn't know what kind. Upon further investigation he says this was in 1965. I look closer and those scabs appear to be gauze. He said they sometimes almost fall off and he keeps them on. He doesn't know what it is. HE is a a terrible historian. Surgical consult reveals possible mesh working it's way out. Stuff trimmed next day and pt sent home. Area slightly pink and not terribly bad looking. White count normal. Can you believe this guy may have had dressing and/or mesh there for 39 years?!?!? OHMYGOD... Hygeine also (surprisingly) was very very very poor. Poor guy.

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:uhoh21: :confused:

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Had a patient come in yesterday who complaint was frequent urination (DM, stopped taking insulin...hmmm) anyway.. he's an elderly gentleman never married lives alone no family. Used to farm. So the guy who farms his land brings him in and as he is undressing I note two "scabs" on his abdomen, periumbilical. He states he spent 3 months in a big city hospital where they did some sort of abd. operation... he doesn't know what kind. Upon further investigation he says this was in 1965. I look closer and those scabs appear to be gauze. He said they sometimes almost fall off and he keeps them on. He doesn't know what it is. HE is a a terrible historian. Surgical consult reveals possible mesh working it's way out. Stuff trimmed next day and pt sent home. Area slightly pink and not terribly bad looking. White count normal. Can you believe this guy may have had dressing and/or mesh there for 39 years?!?!? OHMYGOD... Hygeine also (surprisingly) was very very very poor. Poor guy.

That is truly amazing perhaps we should take some of his blood to attempt to kill other viruses or perhaps cancer cells or HIV

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm always concerned when a pt says they are a farmer! They are the heartiest people - never complain, work all day, half the night and NEVER come to ER unless true life or death emergency! My best farmer story was a young man age 22 who was on a tractor, it rolled when he went up a ditch and his thigh was impaled on the gear shift! Oh - did I mention he was a hemophilliac? And, he extricated himself, crawled 20 feet to his cell phone and called 911 himself??? He was absolutely remarkable! Wonderful family, extremely nice pt. Good outcome too!

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OP...this is incredible!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.
That is truly amazing perhaps we should take some of his blood to attempt to kill other viruses or perhaps cancer cells or HIV

good idea!!

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I'm always concerned when a pt says they are a farmer! They are the heartiest people - never complain, work all day, half the night and NEVER come to ER unless true life or death emergency!

It's because us farmers are told from a very young age that you have to be tough to survive. And that if you fall off the only solution is to get on and try again, and that no matter how much it hurts the work still has to get done. A trip to the ER only takes up some much needed time when their are animals that need feeding (and their schedules are very important), fences to be mended (need to keep the hungry animals in their feilds), and an endless list of tasks that need doing.

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[ can you believe this guy may have had dressing and/or mesh there for 39 years?!?!? ohmygod... hygeine also (surprisingly) was very very very poor. poor guy.

ewwwwwwwwwww that is gross! :crying2:

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