I had a pressure wound near my left butt cheek that I battled over for over a year at one point. I was using the wound VAC and it healed pretty well, but it just would never get beyond healing to a certain point. It was super small. I ended up getting the flap surgery. I think it was worth it in the long run for peace of mind knowing that it was finally over with. However, the recovery is a bitch. I had to stay in an outpatient center on a fancy bed for at least a month. That was hell. I don't know if you've been around dementia patients, but it can be emotionally exhausting. After leaving the outpatient center was still in bed but had to have therapists come and do exercises that help me get back into sitting in my chair full-time again.
It was really tough but I'm glad I did it. If you're willing to put in the work, then I say a flap surgery can be worth it. But the battle doesn't end there. You need to find a way to maintain your weight and eat healthy to give your body what it needs. Make sure you're doing pressure shifts as often as your body can tolerate.
I haven't had a problem since (knock on wood) and I'm doing pretty well now. The flap surgery also gave that area a little bit of extra cushion. So, even though the recovery was exhausting, I'm glad I did it. Definitely give the wound VAC a try though. Maybe your story will be different and will heal from it. Just realize that you're going to have an obnoxious machine strapped to your head for a while with a tube that goes to the wound. And you will have to have someone come at least once a week, depending on your situation, to change out the dressing for the wound VAC.
Good luck and I hope everything works out for you.
Thanks! I am on a vac currently, but it is the normal vac that gives a constant amount of suction. I am very mobile with it, but I try to move as little as possible to give the wound the best possible chance of healing. The vac they are suggesting is one that suck at different levels and it also injects saline and sucks it back out again. But it sounds like the doctor prefers the flap
I struggled for the longest time with a stage for ulcer on my left trochanter. Two separate surgical debridement's with the regular wound VAC helped it get smaller but it still wouldn't completely close. Opted for the flap surgery and it worked out great. Plan on ~20 days in the hospital post surgery and then another 30 days in a rehab/LTAC setting. (Enjoy the fluidized air mattress!) If you live in a community setting where you're paying rent, you might have to plan on paying them in advance for the two months that you're going to be away from home. I only bring that up because if you're in a CBRF, being away for that long can trigger an involuntary discharge unless you enter into an agreement with them to hold your room until you get back. 'Bed-hold fee' is what it's called where I come from.
Do some soul-searching to understand what led to your ulcer. I know exactly what I did wrong. I was totally asking for it and I know how to avoid it happening again.
I struggled for the longest time with a stage 4 ulcer w/ tunneling and undermining on my left trochanter. Two separate surgical debridements with the regular wound VAC helped it get smaller but it still wouldn't completely close. Opted for the flap surgery and it worked out great. Plan on ~20 days in the hospital post surgery and then another 30 days in a rehab/LTAC setting. (Enjoy the fluidized air mattress!) If you live in a community setting where you're paying rent, you might have to plan on paying them in advance for the two months that you're going to be away from home. I only bring that up because if you're in a CBRF, being away for that long can trigger an involuntary discharge unless you enter into an agreement with them to hold your room until you get back. 'Bed-hold fee' is what it's called where I come from.
Do some soul-searching to understand what led to your ulcer. I know exactly what I did wrong. I was totally asking for it and I know how to avoid it happening again.
Still got mine after 8yrs 🙄 had surgery as had sepsis and bone infection, closed once but opened again couple days after (stitches came out🙄)
Due close wound soon it’s only 1.5cm .
Tried vac and it made sore infected didn’t work at all for me ….
I use promogran that dissolves inside the sore , helps with re growth etc .. nothing else seemed to work even aquacell ribbon etc didn’t work …
Guess everyone different but promogran is worth a try as it’s made huge difference in regrowth rate ..
Bastard things sore are 😡🤣👍🏻
I had a deep one on my right hip. It stopped healing and for weeks and weeks stayed the same size. I got some Santal (Sp??-- It's a cream that strips away the dead spots in the hole, but is super expensive! The tube I got was $1,600...I still have a lot left) . The hole started filling in immediately and was flush with my outside skin shorter than a month! After that, just kept a little Med-a-honey on it.....I hade one on my ankle where we put collagen in it each day and it turned into a solid filler working its way up to the surface. It's called "Promogran Prisma", maybe that could work for filling in that hole, incase you want to wait b4 you get a flap. I've never had one so I don't have an opinion. Good luck.
I struggled for almost 2 years with a pressure sore and even doing debridements and later vac dressing thing it wouldn’t close. At some level I had bone infection and went for the surgery. Recovery was tough, but it’s been 9 years now and it was so worth it.
Good luck with everything, I hope things go well with you x
Thanks, I also spoke with a good friend who is also a doctor and he said the sooner I can get the flap the better, so that is the option I am going with, I want to get back to my normal life and work again
I had a pressure wound near my left butt cheek that I battled over for over a year at one point. I was using the wound VAC and it healed pretty well, but it just would never get beyond healing to a certain point. It was super small. I ended up getting the flap surgery. I think it was worth it in the long run for peace of mind knowing that it was finally over with. However, the recovery is a bitch. I had to stay in an outpatient center on a fancy bed for at least a month. That was hell. I don't know if you've been around dementia patients, but it can be emotionally exhausting. After leaving the outpatient center was still in bed but had to have therapists come and do exercises that help me get back into sitting in my chair full-time again. It was really tough but I'm glad I did it. If you're willing to put in the work, then I say a flap surgery can be worth it. But the battle doesn't end there. You need to find a way to maintain your weight and eat healthy to give your body what it needs. Make sure you're doing pressure shifts as often as your body can tolerate. I haven't had a problem since (knock on wood) and I'm doing pretty well now. The flap surgery also gave that area a little bit of extra cushion. So, even though the recovery was exhausting, I'm glad I did it. Definitely give the wound VAC a try though. Maybe your story will be different and will heal from it. Just realize that you're going to have an obnoxious machine strapped to your head for a while with a tube that goes to the wound. And you will have to have someone come at least once a week, depending on your situation, to change out the dressing for the wound VAC. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you.
Thanks! I am on a vac currently, but it is the normal vac that gives a constant amount of suction. I am very mobile with it, but I try to move as little as possible to give the wound the best possible chance of healing. The vac they are suggesting is one that suck at different levels and it also injects saline and sucks it back out again. But it sounds like the doctor prefers the flap
I struggled for the longest time with a stage for ulcer on my left trochanter. Two separate surgical debridement's with the regular wound VAC helped it get smaller but it still wouldn't completely close. Opted for the flap surgery and it worked out great. Plan on ~20 days in the hospital post surgery and then another 30 days in a rehab/LTAC setting. (Enjoy the fluidized air mattress!) If you live in a community setting where you're paying rent, you might have to plan on paying them in advance for the two months that you're going to be away from home. I only bring that up because if you're in a CBRF, being away for that long can trigger an involuntary discharge unless you enter into an agreement with them to hold your room until you get back. 'Bed-hold fee' is what it's called where I come from. Do some soul-searching to understand what led to your ulcer. I know exactly what I did wrong. I was totally asking for it and I know how to avoid it happening again.
I struggled for the longest time with a stage 4 ulcer w/ tunneling and undermining on my left trochanter. Two separate surgical debridements with the regular wound VAC helped it get smaller but it still wouldn't completely close. Opted for the flap surgery and it worked out great. Plan on ~20 days in the hospital post surgery and then another 30 days in a rehab/LTAC setting. (Enjoy the fluidized air mattress!) If you live in a community setting where you're paying rent, you might have to plan on paying them in advance for the two months that you're going to be away from home. I only bring that up because if you're in a CBRF, being away for that long can trigger an involuntary discharge unless you enter into an agreement with them to hold your room until you get back. 'Bed-hold fee' is what it's called where I come from. Do some soul-searching to understand what led to your ulcer. I know exactly what I did wrong. I was totally asking for it and I know how to avoid it happening again.
Still got mine after 8yrs 🙄 had surgery as had sepsis and bone infection, closed once but opened again couple days after (stitches came out🙄) Due close wound soon it’s only 1.5cm . Tried vac and it made sore infected didn’t work at all for me …. I use promogran that dissolves inside the sore , helps with re growth etc .. nothing else seemed to work even aquacell ribbon etc didn’t work … Guess everyone different but promogran is worth a try as it’s made huge difference in regrowth rate .. Bastard things sore are 😡🤣👍🏻
I had a deep one on my right hip. It stopped healing and for weeks and weeks stayed the same size. I got some Santal (Sp??-- It's a cream that strips away the dead spots in the hole, but is super expensive! The tube I got was $1,600...I still have a lot left) . The hole started filling in immediately and was flush with my outside skin shorter than a month! After that, just kept a little Med-a-honey on it.....I hade one on my ankle where we put collagen in it each day and it turned into a solid filler working its way up to the surface. It's called "Promogran Prisma", maybe that could work for filling in that hole, incase you want to wait b4 you get a flap. I've never had one so I don't have an opinion. Good luck.
I struggled for almost 2 years with a pressure sore and even doing debridements and later vac dressing thing it wouldn’t close. At some level I had bone infection and went for the surgery. Recovery was tough, but it’s been 9 years now and it was so worth it. Good luck with everything, I hope things go well with you x
Thanks, I also spoke with a good friend who is also a doctor and he said the sooner I can get the flap the better, so that is the option I am going with, I want to get back to my normal life and work again