Reasons for the discrepancy

The discrepancy can be due to many factors. A patient who is malnourished or unable to eat may not be able to heal the wound quickly or with enough force to withstand normal stress .

In other cases, the wound may heal well, but a sudden increase in abdominal pressure from coughing , sneezing, vomiting, pressure from emptying a bowel, or lifting a heavy object causes the wound in the abdomen to open.

Infection in the cut increases the chances of a discrepancy . Infection delays healing, increasing the time during which the incision is vulnerable to injury. The infection can also weaken the newly formed tissue as the body tries to close the incision and fight the infection instead of concentrating on healing.

Obese patients are more likely to have problems with wound closure and healing, as the wound is difficult to close and the healed incision must be stronger to support the additional weight of the adipose tissue.

In all cases, the discrepancy should be reported to your surgeon as it can develop into an even more serious complication called "evisceration."