Anyone ever had the incision burst?

CathySt

Hi everyone, just logging on for first time, finding this after googling the question about leaking incisions.  

I has rexcision surgery last week, and a couple of days ago started the drip-drip-drip Nancy described, getting a bit worse by the hour.  It was so scary because I had lymph nodes removed first surgery, and my imagination going wild, so I was happy to hear that it happens and that my gut instinct about keeping a sterile pad and clean is correct (great ideas about more absorbant pads as I'm going through dressings so quickly).   I have appointment with my GP in 1.5 days so I think I'll wait that one out; unfortunately my surgeon on a holiday.

What I wasn't sure about was whether or not to ramp up my reaction, but reading above this is more normalized and since not gushing or too hard/swollen I think I'll wait it out until I see GP.

Also great idea about the alternative to tape - the tape is causing me more discomfort than the incision site!

gumshoe

Hi Cathy - Welcome to the site, and glad that the posts have somewhat alleviated your fears!



It IS scary but from everything I was ever told, they have to let it run its course. Restitching it would invite infection. For sure see your GP for your appt., but in the meantime yes, just keep changing the dressing. I had a surgical camisole that did hold the dressing tightly enough without the tape at least during the day. At night I had to secure it a bit better. Once the tape got too much, I also bought some surgical gauze and wrapped it around my whole torso, with the dressing underneath. (Related: If I ever see another piece of tape, I think I'll scream!)



Good luck and keep us posted!

IamNancy

CathySt - let us know what your GP says about it.. the tape -ouch - can't use it.. I tape a mini pad to the inside a bra and then tuck a bigger more aborbant wound pad in there - that seems to work - but I'll be glad when it finally closes!

Belinda977

For anyone whose incision becomes completely opened, ask for a wound vac.  I got one and it really helped it heal quickly.

HotPinkMess

My lumpectomy incision is fine but the SNB incision is leaking clear yellowish fluid like crazy.   When I press on the area around it, fluid spurts out, almost like a faucet!   It is not hot to the touch and has no odor, is this normal?  I go to the Dr. this thursday.

gumshoe

HotPinkMess: I'm not sure about an SNB incision but, in general, I was told that if the fluid is clear and it doesn't hurt, then you can just keep an eye on it. You can't re-stitch it because it's more prone to infection.

Just make sure you keep it covered with a sterile pad until you see your doctor. And of course, try to see him or her sooner if anything changes or if you think it's getting infected.

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

Oh boy. I'm going through this now. I had a little "hole" open up on my incision last Thursday. It scabbed over and I prayed when the scab came off there would be skin underneath. No dice. It is a straight up hole and I can see the implant. PS appointment in an hour. I'm surprised I'm not out of my mind freaking out. I'm just so beaten down from non-stop weird stuff that supposedly only happens to a small percentage of women...but it all seems to happen to me. I can't even get up the energy to feel scared or worried. My reconstruction actually looks horrible to me - although I know it looks pretty typical. But it would look a hell of a lot worse if it isn't there. Just doing the right stuff...

gumshoe

Hi Mariasnow - I haven't been on the boards lately.

Hope you're doing okay now. I sure hear you about all the weird stuff happening: I was one of the "lucky" ones too!

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

Hi gumshoe. I'm back :-) I had to have immediate surgery to have my implant area bathed and re-stitched on the day of the last time I posted. Stitches come out today. My doc removed some of the radiated skin that wasn't holding up. I'm praying I'm out of the woods - but the pain I am in is scaring me. I was put on keflex for 10 days and had all kinds of crazy side-effects. I almost went over the edge. I finally read the side-effects after I had lost my mind and it explained a lot - weight gain, dizziness, heart palpitations, and "depression." Yes, the drug says it causes depression. I'm really quite depressed lately. I'm hoping for a turnaround of sorts. For now I'm just getting through each day. My lymphedema flared up badly from the surgery, drug, and lack of exercise. I'm not really a happy camper and my self-esteem is low. But I will fight another day because I plan to keep breathing.

gumshoe

Hi Mariasnow -- Aww, you have been through the wringer!  I know what you're going through but it DOES get better. I was in a terrible amount of pain as well so I guess it's "normal" (whatever that means any more)! Just make sure you take pain meds as long as you need to because pain itself is tiring and you need to keep up your strength.

I had horrible SEs on that drug too. I had all of my skin removed and that's what they prescribed.

Things will improve but I know it's hard to see that when you're in the midst of it.

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

It got a lot worse. I had a raging infection, my incision open again, and I had to have my implant out and use all my vacation time! Ugh. Now I'm a uniboob with almost no vacation days...and I am using what I have to go back in the O/R for a latissimus dorsi flap on 8.7. Where I work we have PTO - paid time off. Same whether you're out for medical or vacation.

gumshoe

Oh no.... sorry to hear. That sounds horrible... And so similar to what I experienced. I'm still a uniboob, though, and will probably stay that way!

You're having surgery again in the next couple of weeks?! Good luck!

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

gumshoe, the crap we must endure! Your surgery situation sounds most challenging and heart-breaking. Ugh. My sugery is scheduled for 8/7 and this time I'm just scared. Before I obliviously thought all would be well on "my plan" and it wasn't.

gumshoe

I'm sure your upcoming surgery will go fine! But I understand the worry, of course. Please update and let me know how you're doing. I hope you can take the time you'll need to heal, but running out of time-off days is always a worry too (as if you didn't have enough to worry about!). I didn't take the proper time, though, and I wish I had.

And yes indeed, the plans that go awry...

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

I got my boss to let me only use 5 vacation days for my surgery and take 5 work from home days. It is a big relief. That leaves me a few days for other appointments or things I need to do. Maybe even a fun day or a trip to see my mom for a long weekend later in the year. Hoping. My next blood test with my oncologist is also in August. August is proving to be yet another huge month on my cancer road.

HotPinkMess

I feel for you ladies!   I'm in the hospital tonight (4th time in 3 months) getting my implants out after incisions failed and implants were showing.  Rather than TE my PS wants me to heal for 6 weeks, then do TE and Lat Flap.  I was really hoping to finish all this by the end of 2013 but kind of doubting it now.  I can totally see why some people give up on reconstruction.  

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

So sorry to hear HPM!! Was your radiated side the cause of the issues? I can see why people give up too. I often wonder what toll and stress all this reconstruction misery puts on our immunity that we need to fight cancer. I'm hoping the lat flap works for both of us. It has a 99% 7-year success rate. Sending you some peace. The interim time as a uniboob is getting to me. But it's only a few weeks in my case.

IamNancy

I know this is an old thread and maybe no one reads it... my incision leaked for almost a year -just got to be a slow oozing and then stopped ..however, it just started leaking again... 2 yrs after surgery... its just a pinhole and clear fluid-slow leak.. surgeon said its not infected but that radiated skin has the tendency to not heal - ever!

bcsuperchick

I just had this happen to me.... I woke up, stretched... and my entire incision popped open... It's not doing well at all! I will be having diep flap surgery coming up very soon....

Moderators

bcsuperchick, welcome to BCO. It sounds like you should really get in as soon as possible to get this checked out, that it doesn't get infected and can heal. Have you already contacted your physician or nurse?

cindyk0519

Superchic - First, and most important, I hope you have sought medical attention and are now on the way to healing.

I had my incision come completely open 3 weeks after I had a debridement surgery mid Aug. 2015. There was some concern about the possibility of this happening when I saw my PS for a check up two days earlier, in fact she thought about stitching the incision again in her office that day, but removing 150cc's from the tissue expander seemed to help everything lay down and look better. I was to go back to see her on Monday however the incision ended up coming open end to end on Saturday night. Mine looked very similar to your only wider and longer. I said it looked like an angry eye ball. It was scary to look at!!! I called my PS and was told to go to the ER (they were called by the PS) when I arrived I was taken to a private area and did not have to wait at all with all the other germs and ick in the ER. There was discussion about removing the expander entirely but ultimately it was decided that the expander would be removed, the cavity cleaned and a new expander placed during a surgery Sunday morning. All seemed to go well during surgery and I was released from the hospital on Monday afternoon. I awoke at midnight on Monday with a raging 103 degree fever so back to the ER we went. I saw my PS in the ER early Tuesday morning and she recommended that we removed the expander, let the tissue rest, the incision heal and ensure that any infection was eliminated. I had surgery Tuesday evening to remove the expander and have been without it for about 4 weeks now. The infection has cleared, the incision is healing, and I am slowly regaining strength. I will see the PS again in mid Oct to discuss trying reconstruction again and the timing of doing so.

Hoping all is well for you! Hang in there!

Ladyh2o

After radiation and reconstruction my incision would not stay closed (because radiated tissue doesn't heal the surgeon says). On Wednesday the surgeon says this isn't working and reaches into opening and removes the implant. I was an am in shock. He did not close the wound and told me to keep stuffing gauze in the opening and he is scheduling me for a tram flap this Friday. I am doing as he sys but the smell is unbelievable. Anyone know if this sounds right. I though surviving stage 4 breast cancer was the worst. Little did I know. Anyone?

BarredOwl

Ladyh2o:

Please call the hospital where you were treated to report all your current symptoms, including the smell, whether you have any pain, redness or a temperature. Some could be signs of an infection that requires urgent treatment.

Also, ask if you need a referral to a wound care specialist.

I have no idea whether this is a good recommendation or not. With these difficulties, would it be possible for you to first seek a second opinion from a plastic surgeon at another institution about your current problems and what your best options are? For a TRAM flap, I believe you should choose a surgeon who has extensive experience doing such a procedure.

If you are having trouble healing because of radiation, is an additional surgery like TRAM flap a good idea so soon, and what are the chances of success?

If you have a possible infection, you can also get a second opinion about whether a further complex surgery in a week's time is advisable or not.

If further surgery would be appropriate at some point, they can give you a second opinion about your best options, and what is the best timing for another surgery.

Please check in with your Primary Care Physician also, in case they can help you work through the questions to ask, and help you obtain the best care.

That will also give you time to research the surgical time (how many hours in surgery) of any proposed procedure, possible outcomes, and possible complications (both in the breast and at the donor site).

Sending healing strength your way.

BarredOwl

Ladyh2o

Thank you Barred Owl. I have been to the primary care and she has cultured that breast and says she will not sign off on surgery if everything isn't right. Also talked to PS who says take a shower and flush that open hole with water to help reduce the smell. He feels it is not an emergency but just "fat necrosis".

BarredOwl

Hi Ladyh2o:

I am glad you are working with your primary care physician. You may also wish to check in with the breast surgeon to update let them, and ask if they have any particular recommendations for you regarding your wound care.

I was wondering if your plastic surgeon explained to you in advance of your reconstruction surgery that radiated tissue may not heal well, and could reduce the chances of success of the reconstruction procedure? If they did not make that risk clear to you, please consider seeking a second opinion about the proposed TRAM flap procedure.

Regardless of the above, you may still find a second expert opinion from a plastic surgeon associated with a different hospital to be very helpful to you regarding (a) further reconstruction options, and (b) the best timing for a second surgery.

Some patients with reconstruction failures are advised to heal for some time before undergoing additional surgery. I have no idea whether your case is similar or different in some way, so I guess a second opinion might concur with the advice you received (or not). I also realize that waiting a while could be very disappointing to you, when you have decided that you want reconstruction. But if you learned that waiting was the best course of action for your health and for the ultimate success of the procedure (and the reasons why), it seems like it would be better to get that advice. Those are just my thoughts.

I am so sorry you are going through this. Take care,

BarredOwl

Moderators

ladyh20, you've received some great advice here -- please keep us posted on your healing and upcoming surgery!

bcsuperchick -- how are you healing? Has there been any improvement? What is your doctor saying now? Please keep us posted.

--The Mods