Ten top tips...Preventing orthopaedic surgery-related wound blisters

Superficial wound blisters are an abnormal swelling (i.e. filling with fluid) in the epidermal layer of the skin in response to trauma. Blistering in postoperative wounds may be caused by skin stripping from removal of medical tape, or prolonged exposure of the skin to adhesive contact layers of dressings and associated with the presence of sutures. Deeper dermal blisters are generally associated with burns or direct trauma and can take longer to heal than superficial blisters. Postsurgical blistering can cause pain, wound leakage, delay healing of the wound, and increase the risk of postoperative surgical site infection, which ultimately can result in prolonged and costly hospital stays.