Our little granddaughter is having surgery today to correct a clubfoot deformity. We were told that one of the more common complications after this operation is poor wound healing. What does this mean exactly?

Clubfoot is a fairly common foot deformity that often requires early surgical treatment to correct. The bones in the foot are out of place and the foot is in a twisted, toe pointed-down position.

In recent years, many changes have been made to improve the surgical techniques used. The high rate of wound complications (up to 30 per cent) has brought about some of these changes.

Failure of the skin to close called wound dehiscence is the first problem to watch for. Sometimes the skin sloughs away so there isn’t enough tissue to keep the edges together to heal.

Infection and drainage are two other complications that prevent or delay wound healing. Too much swelling after the operation can also put tension on the wound. Your granddaughter’s surgeon will keep a close eye on this situation.

The family will be given a sheet of instructions to follow after the operation. This usually includes what to watch for in case of infection or problems with wound healing. Be sure and report any suspicious signs and symptoms. It’s also important that the child is taken to each of the scheduled follow-up visits.