What to Tell the Doctor
- During the next visit to the doctor take your care diary or any notes you made of what the sutures and wound looked like
- Call the doctor immediately if you see these changes:
- The drainage from the wound does not decrease after the first few days
- Drainage becomes bright red with blood
- Drainage contains yellow, green or brown pus and it is foul smelling
- The sutures (some or all) fall out
- There are spaces between the sutures.
- The person has a fever, 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or greater or the fever continues more than 1 to 2 days.
- A firm or hard area that is tender develops along or near the suture line
- Let the doctor know if you are having difficulty cleansing the wound.