Planning a c-section? Read on…

Have you heard about the PICO dressing? It is a dressing that is connected to a portable pump via a tube. This pump creates suction on the wound, creating a negative pressure environment.

The negative pressure helps to draw out extra fluid, promote blood flow and healing. This can reduce the risk of infection and speed up scar healing time.

Some studies say that the risk of infection post op is about 15%. The PICO dressing reduces that risk by 50%.

Other studies that have compared standard dressing to negative pressure dressings found no difference in outcomes.

However from what I have seen, women who get the PICO dressing have much faster recovery times.

The dressing is worn for seven days and doesn’t require frequent dressing changes.

It can be worn in the shower, it just needs to be disconnected from the pump first.

This type of dressing is not standard practice in hospitals, likely because of the increased cost and lack of studies surrounding it’s benefit. However there are some obstetricians who are routinely using these types of dressings.

If you are planning a c-section this is something I would recommend you discuss with your OB to see if this type of dressing might be right for you!