What will the wound look like?
After surgery you will have two wounds, the first in your mouth where the grafted bone has been packed into the gap in your gum, and the second along your hip bone where the graft was taken from.
Your mouth will feel quite numb and swollen for the initial few days after surgery (recovery may take slightly longer if you have had teeth removed at the same time), you will see sutures on your gum when the closure site is. The stitches (sutures) in your mouth will be dissolvable, meaning they do not need to be removed.
Your hip will have a small plaster/ dressing over the wound, so it won’t be visible. It is important to leave the dressing on for one week to protect the healing incision site. When this is removed you will have a small incision that is a few centimetres in length, this usually has a layer of medical glue and steristrips over the top to keep the skin together and act as protection to the wound. If you had a pain buster in your hip after the surgery, you may have a second small wound next to the incision site.
How do I look after my wounds?
As the wound in your mouth does not have a dressing on it, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene. When you are discharged from hospital you should receive Chlorhexidine toothpaste such as Corsodyl and Chlorhexidine mouthwash, the same as what you had before your operation, it is important to use this for two weeks following your operation as chlorhexidine is an antiseptic and will reduce the risk of infection.
You should use a ‘soft’ toothbrush around the cut to prevent too much friction over the healing wound; it is important to use your normal toothbrush for the rest of your mouth to maintain good health of your other teeth. You should regularly rinse your mouth with water after eating to keep your mouth clean and prevent food sticking to your stitches.
You should keep your plaster or dressing over your hip on for one week after surgery. If this gets dirty or falls off this should be replaced and can be purchased from your local pharmacy. It is important to protect this wound while it is new and healing. You will not be able to go in the bath or shower while you have the dressing on your hip, as getting the wound wet will impact on the healing process.
When can I get my hip wound wet?
We advise keeping skin wounds dry until 1 week. It can take around 5 to 10 days for a skin wound to fully heal. Your specialist nurse will review your hip wound between 7 and 10 days, but if you are unsure about whether it is healing, you can contact your cleft team.
When the wound is healed, you can shower or wash as usual. We advise not to go swimming for at least four weeks as the chlorine can interrupt the healing process. We advise you to use fragrance free products in this area to reduce irritation to the newly healed skin.
What if the wound gets infected?
When you are in hospital the nurse looking after you will give you antibiotics either by your mouth or through a cannula in a vein (IV) to help fight against infection, sometimes the doctors will prescribe antibiotics for you to take for a few more days after you are discharged home to prevent infection.
Common signs of infection include;
- discharge from wound which can sometimes have a foul smell
- rash
- surrounding area red and hot to touch
- temperatures.
If you have concerns about a wound infection, we advise you to contact your cleft nurse without delay or seek medical attention.
What restrictions will I have while I am recovering?
You will need to follow a ‘soft diet’ for around four weeks after the operation. This is to allow your mouth plenty of time to heal and prevent any sharp or scratchy foods from causing a breakdown of the wound.
It’s important to limit activity levels while your hip recovers.
We advise the following guidance:
- Small amounts of regular movement to keep your hip joint mobile.
- 2 weeks off school to enable you to recover after your surgery and prevent the risk of infection or getting your hip knocked by other students.
- No participation in PE for six weeks after the surgery
- No contact sports for three months
If there are any issues with your school making reasonable adjustments while you are recovering after your surgery, please get in contact with your cleft nurse.
What post-operative support will I receive?
You should receive regular support from a cleft nurse specialist. Once you are discharged, your cleft nurse should contact you to answer any questions or concerns you have.
Your cleft nurse will arrange a home visit around 7 to 10 days following surgery and a further telephone appointment at around four to six weeks. At these appointments they will take a history of how your child is recovering and they will also assist with wound management care.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s care between appointments, your cleft nurse should be contactable within working hours by telephone.
Will I have a scar on my hip?
You will have a small scar on your hip where the surgeon made the incision to retrieve the bone graft. The doctors ensure this is as neat and as small as it can be and in a discreet area.
Scars can take up to two years to fully mature. In the initial period after your wound has healed this may look quite red and raised, with bruising to the surrounding area. If this is something you are conscious of, after four weeks, you can do scar massaging to help improve the outcome of the scar’s appearance. Scar massage can help to flatten down the scar, preventing the skin from becoming hard and tight; it can also help in the initial period with itching.
Your cleft nurse will be able to advise you about the correct technique for scar massage.
For further information
Further information
PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) for help, advice and information about NHS services. You can contact them on freephone 0800 032 02 02, email [email protected].
Useful websites
If you would like further information about health conditions and treatment options, you may wish to have a look at the NHS website.
If you would like to find accessibility information for our hospitals, please visit the AccessAble website.
