What Is Wound Dehiscence?

Written by Nichole Owens
Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on March 12, 2026

Wound dehiscence is when a surgical cut (incision) reopens after an operation. It is sometimes called wound breakdown, wound disruption, or wound separation.

Partial dehiscence means that the edges of an incision have pulled apart in one or more small areas. Complete dehiscence is when the entire cut reopens through all layers of skin and muscle.

‌ Wound disruption is most common within 3-10 days after surgery. Symptoms at the incision site start getting worse instead of better and may include:

  • Pain
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Bleeding
  • Drainage of other fluids

You may also have a fever. You or your doctor might be able to see broken stitches or a gap where the edges of the wound have come apart.

Wound healing involves three phases:

‌Inflammatory. The body rushes fluid and healing cells to the incision site, causing swelling, redness, and pain. The goal is to clear out dead cells and bacteria so that repair of the wound can begin.

Proliferative. Special cells called fibroblasts pull the edges of the wound together. The body makes new tissue to repair the cut.

Maturation. The new tissue gets stronger and less fragile.

Wound separation can happen at any phase and can be caused by one or more of the following:

Infection

When a wound is infected, healing cannot move past the inflammatory phase. The body must focus on clearing bacteria from the area. Infection also limits the number of fibroblast cells that are able to move to the area. As a result, any new tissue that forms will be weak.

Pressure on sutures

Vomiting, severe coughing, or heavy lifting can strain the stitches or staples used to hold the wound closed while it heals. If one or more of the sutures break, the incision may pull apart at that spot.‌

Poor suture technique

Wound disruption may be caused by stitches or staples that are not applied properly. Sometimes wound separation will occur when sutures are removed too early in the healing process.

Poor blood flow

Good blood flow is important to move oxygen and healing cells to the wound and to clear away bacteria and dead cells. Anything that reduces blood flow puts you at a higher risk of wound breakdown. This includes smoking and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Your body’s tissues and organs need a healthy supply of oxygen for wounds to heal. If you have other medical conditions that affect your blood flow or oxygen supply, you're more at risk for wound dehiscence. These conditions include:

If you have any of these conditions, your doctor will treat them before your surgery to lower your risk for wound dehiscence.

Certain medical treatments or medications, such as radiation and corticosteroids, can also increase your risk for wound dehiscence.

Even minor wound disruption needs to be treated right away to keep it from getting worse. An open wound is easily infected, which can lead to further separation.

Complete wound dehiscence is a medical emergency, as it can lead to evisceration, where internal organs poke out through the wound.

Call your doctor if you notice signs of wound breakdown. Possible treatment options include:

Pain management

Your doctor may prescribe medication if you are in pain because of the wound disruption, dressing changes, or infection. They may tell you to use a different kind of dressing or explain how to care for the wound in a way that causes less pain.

Antibiotics

If you have an infection or are at high risk of infection because of the open wound, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. This is a kind of medicine that stops or slows the growth of the bacteria that cause infection.

Management of risk factors

Your doctor will work with you to improve any risk factors that helped cause the wound separation. For instance, if you have diabetes, they will help you get your blood sugar levels under control. If the wound breakdown was caused by blood or pus collecting under the sutured area, the doctor can put in a small plastic tube to drain the fluid.

Removal of dead tissue

Dead or damaged cells can keep the wound from healing properly and increase your risk of infection. Your doctor may give you a special kind of wound bandage to help the body remove dead cells. If there is a lot of dead tissue and the wound separation is deep, you may need further surgery to remove it.

Negative pressure wound therapy

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is used to treat wounds that are not healing well, especially if there is a lot of fluid draining from the wound. It can help prevent infection, increase blood flow, remove extra fluid, and encourage the growth of new tissue. The wound is covered with a special dressing that has a small opening. A tube is attached to this opening and hooked up to a pump. When the pump is turned on, it gently draws fluid and infection out of the wound. 

Closure

Your doctor may close the wound separation with new stitches, or they may allow it to heal as it is. If a wound disruption is deep or complete, you may need another surgery to repair the wound.

Talk to your doctor if you notice that your surgical cut starts to come apart. If it's a small wound dehiscence, your doctor may tell you to cover the wound with a sterile bandage until it heals. They may also prescribe pain medications and antibiotics to prevent infection. If your wound dehiscence is large, your doctor may recommend another surgery to repair it.

 

 

Wound dehiscence happens when the incision — the cut your doctor makes during surgery — reopens. It can be partial (meaning the incision starts to come undone in a few areas) or complete (where the whole incision reopens). Wound dehiscence can happen for many reasons, such as infection, heavy coughing or lifting, or certain health conditions, such as COPD or diabetes. If your wound dehiscence is small, it may heal on its own in a few weeks. Larger wounds may require another surgery to repair them. They may also take months to heal.

What's the difference between wound dehiscence and evisceration?

Wound dehiscence means part of your surgical wound (incision) opens or comes apart after surgery. Your doctor may repair the tear or recommend that you keep the cut covered until it heals. Evisceration means your organs poke through the cut. It’s a medical emergency that requires immediate surgery.

How long does wound dehiscence take to heal?

Each person is different. A small wound dehiscence may heal in weeks, while a larger tear that requires further surgery could take months to heal. 

Can wound dehiscence heal on its own?

It depends on how large or deep the cut is. Always ask your doctor to be sure. If your wound starts to stink, leak fluid, or you develop a fever, see your doctor right away. They'll let you know whether you can monitor it at home or whether you'll need further treatment, such as antibiotics or another surgery.

How painful is wound dehiscence?

It can be uncomfortable. You may have more pain if your wound is large or gets infected. Your doctor can prescribe medication to ease your pain.

 

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