Hematoma from lunpectomy

Mcsulli
Mcsulli Member Posts: 5
edited December 2016 in Surgery - Before, During, and After


I had a lumpectomy 6 weeks ago. Had huge amount of bruising on my breast and all down my left side. It included a large hematoma in the cavity where the tumor was that gas not even begun to resolve. Surgeon says draining it doing more surfy will run a great risk of infection and we should let it reabsorb on its own. Had my first meeting with RO yesterday and he said it is way too swollen to do the simulation. The bruising is gone except for around the scar but covers that whole side of my breast. Has anyone had an experience like that. At this point after so long surgeon says ice or heat won't speed it up. I'm afraid I am going to miss my window for radiation waiting for it to go away. Has anyone had this experience ? How did you handle?

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  • tgtg
    tgtg Member Posts: 266
    edited November 2016

    Hi--

    Just happened to browse here after a long absence, and saw your post. I had a hematoma like yours (but without the side involvement), and my surgeon kept watching it weekly, to ascertain when the blood build-up was fluid enough to be aspirated. My lx was on January 7, and he finally was able to aspirate 60cc of blood on Feb. 1 (it really felt good when the pressure went away), and then he aspirated another 40cc the following week. And I never experienced any infection from this office procedure, done under sterile conditions.

    My RO. like yours, had said "no way to rads until the hematoma healed enough," but by the first week of March I was healed enough for her to do the simulation, and she started rads about 10 days later. She assured me there would be no problem with this delay, a judgment with which the surgeon and MO concurred. I am now coming up on four years post-lx and am doing fine, with no recurrence.

    I have a feeling that my hematoma developed partly because of my tendency to bruise fairly easily and partly because during surgery I was given IV ketorolac trometharmine (an NSAID, which creates bleeding issues) as a painkiller. (As far as I'm concerned, a hematoma is far better than taking an opioid!) You might ask if your surgical team used this NSAID on you too.

    Hope this experience reassures you. TG


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  • Mcsulli
    Mcsulli Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2016

    dear tgtg: thank you for sharing your experience. My hematoma is quite large and not going away. MO says it could be months! I am seven weeks post surgery and though the bruising is greatly reduced I still can't have radiation. They started tomaxfen to bridge the gap. I have Osteo in my femoral neck. I refuse to take Osteo drugs due to their bad effects on bones so they won't allow to take an AI. MO says we can go out 6 months to start rad, RO says 12 weeks. Not sure what the real answer is! Glad yours resolvedquickly

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  • adoxa
    adoxa Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2016

    had lumpectomy in August 2016, hematoma and bruising was so bad, I was black all down my side and front. In a panic I went to the ER after a month, I could not get an appointment with surgeon as I was handed over to a Medical Oncologist. At the ER they drained a lot of the fluids, my breast was like a block of concrete before, after draining I never had any discomfort. Do not know why they did not want to drain earlier.

    Also a question, I still have not started radiation, It is on the list but they keep me waiting. Almost 4 months after lumpectomy now, I said to the RO any cancer cells left have a hay day, no reaction



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  • Mcsulli
    Mcsulli Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2016

    dear Adoxa: glad to know someone had the same experience as I did with massive bruising and hematoma. I am now at week seven post surgery and surgeon does not want to drain. He says too much chance for infection. Glad to hear you did not have a problem getting it done. My MO seems to want to go with whatever surgeon says. I can't have rad in its current state. MO says you can go out up to six months but RO says not more than 12 weeks. I would wonder what they are waiting for for your rad. My MO started me on Tamoxifen a week ago to bridge the gap to rad because I was also afraid of recurrence for the long wait. I still have a golf ball size hard mass in my breast.

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