I'm 23 days post-op, I've already been readmitted last weekend for a possible bowl obstruction and lots and lots of free air in my small intestines. Now this weekend I have had a lot of pain in and around my belly button, tonight looked down at my belly button for some odd reason and don't ya know my incision is opened about 1/2 the way! Called the surgeon he asked if I had had any fever or chills, or if it was draining or oozing. Well thankfully NO to all of that. He said to keep a check on my temp and any fever go straight to the ER but keep it dry and call his office in the morning and try to get in. I still have home health nurse coming too so I'm calling them 1st thing in the morning too!  I have a funny feeling I'm going to be readmitted when he sees it...he is uber cautious but that's a good thing....ugh just had to rant..anyone else have this happen? 

I had one incision that came partly opened and leaked a lot of fluid.  It wasn't infected though.  I didn't have to be admitted for it or do anything for it other than keep it clean and dry.

I hope that all I have to do is keep it clean and dry...it looks like it does have infection inside and when I lay on my left side, it feels like a golfball is in there...going to have it checked tomorrow and we'll see. I hope its nothing and just a few steri-strips will do the trick! I have a really sharp, pulling, burning, pain in that area when I move or bend, even turning over in bed....ugh! 

 i have one little incision that isn't healing. i think its infected so i have been putting some triple antibiotic on it and a bandaide and it seems to be helping.  Mine is a closed wound though thats the only reason i am using the TA.   Will show the BSrn on tuesday at my appt.  bet its healed by then tho...
good luck getting that wound healed..oh and i know that golf ball feeling on the left side...mine is almost gone but i still feel uncomfortable on my left side..

It is very unlikely that you will be readmitted just for an open incision (there is no medical reason to do so) especially if you had lap surgery and it is a very small incision that you are talking about. 

Incisions open up fairly frequently, and as long as they not infected, it is not a problem at all.  As you were told, just keep it clean and dry.  Even if you develop a small infection, it does not require hospitalization... just antibiotics.

I had open RNY, and about an inch and a half of the 8-in*****ision opened up and was oozing this yellowish tan stuff... for almost 10 weeks.  We checked it twice to be sure there was no infection present (none) and I was told it "sometimes happens".  It eventually healed up just fine.  I also had one small (half inch) section of one of my plastic surgery incisions open up.  It only took it a very short time to heal up, though.

Lora

2 of my incisions opened up and one felt like there was something inside of it, a "ball" as you describe... and it was also gaping open. At my 10day follow up surgeon said it was just from the internal stitches and to keep it clean and dry (not necessarily covered!). Be aware that as it heals, since it is a naturally moist environment the inside of the wound won't scab, but it will look yellow and gooey - that isn't infection, it is just a wet scab.

Once incisions open up they have to be left that way to heal.
As long as it doesn't get infected it will heal on it's own.

I feb, I had open surgery to reverse an illiostomy I had from a bowel ostruction and perforated colon previously in October and Nov.  After the surgery in Feb, I had a 1 inch section that didnt' heal and was opened a bit.  My surgeon said it looked infected and she needed to open it up to let it drain.  She numbed me up and cut it opened a bit more - the cutting wasn't painful but when she pushed down to drain out all the blood and stuff inside- that was very painful.  She then packed it with a special thin, long guaze type sterile stuff and I went home. I had to take the packing out and repack it daily.  She said I didnt' need antibiotics since the infection was just inside that little pocket and antibiotics wouldn't work.  Over the next 3-4 weeks, the whole got smaller and smaller and it eventually closed on its own.  It wasn't fun.

There is no need to be admitted for any of this.  what did they say about the bowel obstruction and free air in your small intestines? That isn't normal and should be looked into - not ignored.  You don't want free air in your abdomen or intestines.  You said your incision is open half way  - are you lap  or open?  How large is your incision?  If it is lap, then that really means nothing - just keep it clean and call in the morning but if it is open, then you need to really be careful and call ASAP

As the other posters noted, as long as it isn't infected there shouldn't be a lot of concern.  My incision from surgery (open) came open twice - was initially glued and steristriped.  I was told I have three other layers of stitches below that so I was not in danger of my "insides coming out".

Like Laura I had a brown/yellow ooze that came out - the brown was dried blood and the yellow is the color of our natural fluids that help our body function.  It was painful when the doctor pushed out the excess.  He eventually stitched up the incision (at three weeks post op), although I still have a drain are under it that is still draining the yellow fluid daily.  I'm seven weeks post op.

The warning signs my surgeon told me to look for was a change in color, a fever or something that looks like an goose-egg/circle under the skin  (which is signs of an abcess).  It is very scary - it freaked me out the first time (not ready for it mentally), but even with the severity of mine, I wasn't admitted to the hospital.  At the second opening he did give me antibiotics to ward of any infection...

I am waiting for my home health nurse to come out and see what she thinks. This morning its oozing some yellowish stuff that looks thick and so she gross. I have so much pain when I put any kind of pressure of it, or moving around. I have no idea what it is just trying to take it easy and hoping its just going to heal on its own.

For the free air and bowel obstruction, the surgeon said he feels I have very slow and sluggish digestion...well isn't that great! I've since added a probiotic to my supplements and hoping that will help some.