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Post-operative wound/dehiscence

ADULT

Minimum Referral Criteria

  • Category 1
    (appointment within 30 calendar days)
    • Non healing wound of more than 6 weeks duration
    • History of hernia repair with mesh on view
    • Immunocompromised patients
    • Acute wound dehiscence in the post op period
  • Category 2
    (appointment within 90 calendar days)
    • No category 2 criteria
  • Category 3
    (appointment within 365 calendar days)
    • No category 3 criteria

1. Reason for request Indicate on the referral

  • To establish a diagnosis
  • For treatment or intervention
  • For advice and management
  • For specialist to take over management
  • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
  • For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
  • Reassurance for the patient/family
  • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

2. Essential referral information Referral will be returned without this

  • Co-morbidities and past medical history
  • Relevant surgical history (date of surgery/place of surgery)
  • Details of all treatments offered, and efficacy to date e.g. type of dressings used, date of commencement of any antibiotics with dose prescribed.
  • If patient is still under the care of surgical team, advise next follow up appointment.

3. Additional referral information Useful for processing the referral

  • History of allergies and list of current medications
  • Wound history e.g. duration, description and size, wound initiating event.
  • Relevant pathology (as clinically indicated)
  • Relevant medical imaging results if available –i.e. x-ray, ultrasound
  • Clinical photograph – with patient's consent, where secure image transfer, identification and storage is possible

4. Request

Last updated: 13 June 2023