Reply
Mon 5 Jul, 2004 11:14 pm
Hi all,
On m=May 14th I had a partial thyroidectomy to remove 3 nodules on one side of my thyroid. All the nodules were found to be benign.
I saw the surgeon 2 weeks after the operation and he said I was healed and should expect no complications.
However, 1 month after the operation the skin 1 inch above the incision started to get red, an infection followed, the abcess was drained, and I took antibiotics. I saw doctors 2 times after the antibiotics were finished and both said it was healing up and the infection was gone.
However, 1 inch above the incision I started to notice a very small pointy bump sticking up. Eventually (about 1 week later) the bump became red and this redness spread to about a half inch circle around it. It then became fleshy and soft, and pea sized. Now it's turning bright red.
And....now the incision is starting to get infected again (I can see it starting to get inflamed on one side, similar to the last time, and send "spiky" pains shooting through it.
I'm finally going to see the original surgeon who performed the surgery ...but any idea with this new red lump might be? Is it related to the infection???
Also, the doctor I saw about the infection said the wound was "tethering" if that makes a difference....I'm a 24 year old female is that matters as well.
Thanks in advance.
Katie
Katie Pie--
Welcome to A2K.
Surgery is distressing enough--even if the nodes were benign--without the colorful aftermath. I have no opinions, only sympathy. When will you see your surgeon. Please let us know what he says.
Thanks for the welcome. I'm seeing the surgeon on Thursday. I''ll keep you posted!
Katie Pie--
Do check in. The Frontiers of Modern Medicine can be a lonely--and uncomfortable--place.
Re: infections and weird bumps after thyroid surgery
katie pie wrote:Hi all,
On m=May 14th I had a partial thyroidectomy to remove 3 nodules on one side of my thyroid. All the nodules were found to be benign.
I saw the surgeon 2 weeks after the operation and he said I was healed and should expect no complications.
However, 1 month after the operation the skin 1 inch above the incision started to get red, an infection followed, the abcess was drained, and I took antibiotics. I saw doctors 2 times after the antibiotics were finished and both said it was healing up and the infection was gone.
However, 1 inch above the incision I started to notice a very small pointy bump sticking up. Eventually (about 1 week later) the bump became red and this redness spread to about a half inch circle around it. It then became fleshy and soft, and pea sized. Now it's turning bright red.
And....now the incision is starting to get infected again (I can see it starting to get inflamed on one side, similar to the last time, and send "spiky" pains shooting through it.
I'm finally going to see the original surgeon who performed the surgery ...but any idea with this new red lump might be? Is it related to the infection???
Also, the doctor I saw about the infection said the wound was "tethering" if that makes a difference....I'm a 24 year old female is that matters as well.
Thanks in advance.
Katie
In a partial thryoidectomy, one lobe of the thyroid is removed. Based on my experience, there is no reason in the world why you should be having all the infections in the incision, that you're having.
Was the surgery done in the USA? Did a resident do it? If I were you, I'd change surgeons and hospitals in the future. There's no reason for all the trouble you're having.
katie pie wrote:Thanks for the welcome. I'm seeing the surgeon on Thursday. I''ll keep you posted!
Did you say the sutures were left in for two weeks?
The sutures are the dissolveable kind, so they were never removed.
I did see the surgeon for a followup 2 weeks after the surgery but there were no infections at that time. He said I would heal up fine.
The surgeon is supposed to be the best throid surgeon in the city. I waited on a waitlist for 8 months just so I could have it done by him (I'm a singer so I was very concerned about damage to my voice).
Thanks for all the replies!
Katie
katie pie wrote:The sutures are the dissolveable kind, so they were never removed.
I did see the surgeon for a followup 2 weeks after the surgery but there were no infections at that time. He said I would heal up fine.
The surgeon is supposed to be the best throid surgeon in the city. I waited on a waitlist for 8 months just so I could have it done by him (I'm a singer so I was very concerned about damage to my voice).
Thanks for all the replies!
Katie
If this is the case, why did you have so many infections?
"No infections"? None detectable by observation, but was a culture done?
Was this surgery performed in the US?
The surgery was done in Canada.
At the first follow-up no infections were observed. After it got infected the first time, I went on antibiotics. Then I saw 2 doctors after I had the antibiotics and they both said the infection was gone....Then a week later it's infected again. No cultures were done.
The surgery was done in Canada.
At the first follow-up no infections were observed. After it got infected the first time, I went on antibiotics. Then I saw 2 doctors after I had the antibiotics and they both said the infection was gone....Then a week later it's infected again. No cultures were done.
maybe you're allergic to the sutures?
Are you putting lotion on it? or any form of oil based solution? Oils can harber bacteria.
have you put any cologne or anything perfumed on it?
Hopefully the culture can determine what exactly is causing this.
Good Luck and please give us an update on your findings.
You guessed it mylin 1960....
I went back to the surgeon and it turns out it was all an allergy or reaction to the type of sutures they used.
There's nothing they can do about it but it'll go away on it's own as the suture finish dissolving. The red spot that was an inch above the incision was where one of the stiches inside was so that's why it was inflammed.
It's healing up nicely now and the redness is very minimal now.
I'm back on track!
thanks everyone!
katie
Where any cultures taken?
Katie Pie--
Wonderful a diagnosis--a hopeful diagnosis with a timetable for closure.
Congratulations.
Miller, no cultures were taken.
I have one more follow up appointment in 2 weeks to make sure the stiches dissolved.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace