breast abcess long after radiation

Can2

18 months after radiation I developed an abcess in the seroma that remained from my breast conserving surgery almost 2 yrs. ago. The abcess was incised and drained. Now having daily dressings with packing to promote healing from the ground up. I am looking for expertise in packing a wound like this in an irradiated breast, with some long standing lymphedema. i.e. what are the best practices to promote tertiary healing in this type of breast? Any ideas, experiences?

Moderators

Hi Can2, and welcome to Breastcancer.org!

We don't have any advice for your questions at this time, but we know someone from our incredible Community will be by shortly with some insight/suggestions!

Please share with us any tips you learn in this process, and continue to post and let us know how you're healing.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery,

--The Mods

labelle

I had a similar problem, abscessed and infected seroma. Surgery to drain it left me with an open wound that needed to be packed twice a day with sterile gauze. I got very good instructions from the wound care nurse at the breast center. I certainly hesitate to advise anyone, but if you do not feel you got good instructions, go back and insist someone tell (and show) you exactly what to do in your situation. My wound was checked once a week by the wound care nurse and the size gauze tape was adjusted per her instructions as I healed. This is an ongoing (and slow IMO) process that probably should be monitored by a pro.

KmSumrall

in March 2015, my wife had a deflated implant removed from her mastectomy which was in 1995. It has been six month now and the wound where the implant was removed will not completely heal over and close. We dress it three times a day. It continues to drain a thick chocolate like fluid, which is less and less each day, but still will not close. The skin was radiated in 1995 and a doctor told her that skin will never recover. We are trying to find a solution.

sbelizabeth

KmSumrall, I'm so sorry your wife is enduring this setback. Here are some ideas.

Consult a wound care doctor. Ask about using a "wound vac," which is a system to help close a stubborn non-healing wound. Also ask about hyperbaric oxygen treatments. These treatments are sometimes used to assist wound healing. There is a great wound care physician in Thousand Oaks, as well as a hyperbaric oxygen center.

Consult an infectious disease doctor. Perhaps there's an organism growing in your wife's wound that is preventing healing.

I've experienced all of these treatments and had good results, but everyone's different. Please feel free to PM me if you or your wife have any questions.

Moderators

KmSumrall,

Welcome to Breastcancer.org. We hope our members, such as sbelizabeth, can help you find a solution! (Great advice there!)

Please keep us updated on how your wife is doing.

--The Mods

Can2

I also had an abcess develop in a seroma, almost 2 yrs. post radiation. Abcess was incised and drained May 2015. Still get dressings done 3/wk. The homecare nurses (in Canada) have been trying various products. The slowest part to heal is the deepest which is where I had the boost of radiation at the end of the treatment. The depth has recuded about 5 mm since May, and still about 20 mm to go. I am thinking of getting a consult with a plastic surgeon who does reconstruction post radiation - just trying to think of who knows best how to heal a wound like this. Any ideas?

artsee

I had a biopsy in my 7 year old lumpectomy site in April. It was fat necrosis and a pin point area kept draining and didnt heal. This is what can happen on radiated skin. My surgeon suggested i get the stuff removed and then the area can heal with a fresh incision. I trusted him and it turned out wonderful. All is healed, normal skin. No more junk and redskin. Yea!