Can a wound swell after surgery?

Q: I got surgery done a week back for pilonidal sinus. The doctor first opened a hole and left it for 3 days. He did a Z Type surgery (25 cm length). After 10 days (i.e. 2 days back) he removed the stitches but now some area of operation is swollen. Can you help?

A:After surgery a wound may normally swell. The swelling in your case may just be a healing process. However, pilonidal sinuses are infected areas (which is why the doctor left the wound open initially, to let out pus). Swelling after pilonidal surgery may be caused by a recurrent infection. To be able to tell whether this is a usual postoperative swelling or an infection, one has to look at the wound. Please visit your surgeon.