- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
How do you know if you have an infection after a hysterectomy?
- Fever or chills.
- Heavy bleeding or unusual vaginal discharge.
- Severe pain.
- Redness or discharge from incisions.
- Problems urinating or having a bowel movement.
- Shortness of breath or chest pain.
How common is infection after hysterectomy?
Infection: Postoperative fever and infection are responsible for the majority of minor complications following hysterectomy. Infection occurs in
approximately 6% to 25% of patients who undergo abdominal hysterectomy
versus 4% to 10% of those who undergo vaginal hysterectomy.
How do you treat an infection after a hysterectomy?
Postoperative infections should be treated promptly with
antibiotics
that cover the broad range of pelvic pathogens. One appropriate regimen is a combination of clindamycin or metronidazole plus penicillin or ampicillin plus gentamicin.
Can you get a bacterial infection after hysterectomy?
Having
bacterial vaginosis
may increase the risk of developing a post-surgical infection after procedures such as hysterectomy or dilation and curettage (D&C).
How can I prevent infection after hysterectomy?
Solid evidence shows that prophylactic antibiotics are indicated for both elective cesarean delivery and abdominal hysterectomy. A
single dose of a limited-spectrum antibiotic like cefazolin
is the drug of choice to prevent infection for clean-contaminated procedures, including C/S and abdominal hysterectomy.
What is the most common complication after hysterectomy?
The most common complications of hysterectomy can be categorized as infectious,
venous thromboembolic
, genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) tract injury, bleeding, nerve injury, and vaginal cuff dehiscence.
Can a man feel when a woman has had a hysterectomy?
Some husbands worry their wives may feel different or no longer express interest in them. The reality is that
sex after hysterectomy for the man may feel surprisingly similar
. In all procedures, the surgeon takes steps to maintain vaginal functionality. A hysterectomy is simply a surgery that removes the uterus.
What happens if you get an infection after a hysterectomy?
Infection occurs in about 10% of women who undergo a hysterectomy even after receiving preventative antibiotics before the procedure. Very rarely, infections can progress to an abscess, which is collection of bacteria and pus that must be drained.
Damage to Surrounding Pelvic Organs
.
How long does it take to heal internally after hysterectomy?
It takes
about 6 to 8 weeks
to fully recover after having an abdominal hysterectomy.
What does an infected hysterectomy incision look like?
The incision itself may begin to appear swollen or puffy as well. Redness:
An incision that gets red, or has red streaks radiating from it to the surrounding skin
may be infected. 9 Some redness is normal at the incision site, but it should decrease over time, rather than becoming redder as the incision heals.
Is it normal to have sharp pains after a hysterectomy?
Sharp and chronic pains are certainly going to exist after someone goes through a hysterectomy
. Similarly to the time frame we talked about with pain, in general, it is helpful to use 3 months as a measuring stick. This should be monitored a little more closely than just general pain and discomfort though.
When should I call the doctor after a hysterectomy?
After a hysterectomy, call your doctor or go to the emergency room if: You have bright red vaginal bleeding that soaks one or more pads in an hour, or you have large clots. You
have foul-smelling discharge from your vagina
. You are sick to your stomach or cannot keep fluids down.
Do you have an odor after a hysterectomy?
You will likely have light spotting for 2 to 4 weeks. It may be pink, red, or brownish.
It should not have a bad odor
.
Is it normal to have smelly discharge after hysterectomy?
You may have reddish to brownish discharge from your vagina for 1-2 weeks. Contact your doctor if the discharge becomes heavier than a normal period,
has a foul odour (bad smell)
, or if there is heavy bleeding. Do not use tampons for 6 weeks. Do not have sexual intercourse (sex) for about 6 weeks after surgery.
Can you get yeast infection after hysterectomy?
Yes, you can get a yeast infection if you have no uterus
. The yeast responsible is called Candids Albicans and lives, along with many other microrganisms, in the vagina.
