Redness & Drainage
At this RECOVERY HUB you will find guidance on your road to recovery.
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Use this resource as a quick guide to common questions, concerns, and expectations for your early recovery after surgery.
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Remember, Dr. Deans' team is a call away for further guidance and clarification.
Do not wait several days hoping it will disappear.
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Most incisions become less red and less irritated with time. Persistent drainage or increasing redness deserves prompt attention because early review allows us to decide whether the wound simply needs protection or whether treatment is needed.
What to look for
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New fluid coming through the dressing or from the incision.
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Redness that is spreading rather than fading.
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Increasing warmth around the wound.
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A small area that looks like a stitch is working its way through the skin.
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Any opening or separation of the incision.
What to do now
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Keep the area clean and dry.
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Do not squeeze, pick, scrub, or apply ointments.
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If drainage is present, cover it with clean dry gauze.
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Pause exercises or therapy that repeatedly stresses a draining wound until our team has reviewed it.
Send us a picture
Our protocol uses photographs to document wound appearance and guide next steps. Take a clear picture in good light, including one close view and one wider view so we can see the surrounding skin.
Do not self-start antibiotics
If antibiotics are needed, we will choose them after reviewing the wound and your allergies/medical history. Starting leftover antibiotics can make evaluation more difficult.
Call / Seek Urgent Help
Call the surgical team the same day for persistent drainage, rapidly increasing redness/warmth, fever/chills with wound changes, or an opening incision. Seek urgent care for severe systemic illness, confusion, or another emergency.
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Your own discharge instructions and medication list always take priority. This guide is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice.
Institutional Clarification
This website is operated independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of Nebraska Medicine or the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Any clinical work performed in partnership with those institutions is conducted separately under institutional policies, governance, and privacy practices.