Post-Operative Wound Care

When you leave the office you will most likely have a pressure dressing (a big bulky bandage) applied to the surgical area.  Please leave this in place until the next day and this can then be changed to a smaller dressing.  If there is oozing or bleeding from under the bandage that does not want to seem to stop and the bandage is saturated.  Remove the bandage and apply pressure for at least ten minutes without letting up.  If it stops just apply a new dressing to the area.  If it does not stop bleeding then contact our office.

Supplies:

	White petrolatum (Vaseline White Petroleum Jelly) Get a fresh tube.
	Q-tips
	Band-aids

1. Clean stitches twice daily starting tomorrow.

2. Clean with tap water around the stitches.

3. Pat wound dry before applying white petrolatum .

4. Cover with band-aid.

Other Instructions:

1. You may shower tomorrow, but clean the wound immediately afterwards.  Keep wound covered while showering.

2. Please do not swim if you have stitches.

3. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or take products containing aspirin following the procedure as these will increase the risk of bleeding.

4. If the surgery site were to turn bright red and become puffy and painful, these may be signs of infection, you should call the office immediately.  I can always be reached by my answering service at 407-352-2444.  If you do not hear back from me in an hour please call back and check to see if I got the message and/or that the correct return phone number was given.

5. For typical excisions the pathology report should be available when you return to the office for your sutures.  The doctor will discuss the results with you at this time.  If you have had Mohs surgery done, the cancer should be clear at the time of leaving the office and Dr. Meisenheimer will have discussed this with you.

6. Physical Activity should be done with common sense.  On the day of the surgery I recommend no physical activity after the surgery.  This includes shopping, running errands etc...  Go home relax and read a good book.  The next day the level of activity would depend on the location and extent of the surgery.  Even though I typically repair surgery sites with two layers of sutures it is still possible to rip the site open.  Ask me if you are not sure.