Done surgery for the second time.. MUCH better.. But blood clots?

[Ronaldinho123]

I did a revision surgery 4 weeks ago, and the result is much better than the first.. more gland was removed and the scar has improved..
But at my right side I was swollen pretty bad, which turned out to be blood.. The doctor put a needle in there and removed 40 ml of blood.. A week after it came back and I went to the doctor again, then he removed 10 ml... Once again it came back, and today I went to see him but the blood was too hard for him to take out with a needle.. So he suggested I rub it and massage it for a while and it should help?

How long should it be before I can see results? And does it really help if I rub it and massage it? Will the hard lump flatten out with time? Its not tissue, just blood. According to the surgeon..

Thanks alot..

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

It is best to remove any pooled liquid blood -- sometimes this can be done by syringe and sometimes one has to operate again to evacuate the blood.....it all depends on how much, the doctor's experience and other medical details.

However, once all or most of the blood has been removed, there may still be some more swelling on the affected side compared to the other side.  The body will remove whatever blood remains -- but this may take months.

Best to follow your surgeon's advice at this point.  There is a surgical "no man's land" between the original operation and the final result, which may take 4-6 months or more to be seen.  Surgical intervention during this time frame -- except in very specific cases -- is not recommended.  I understand that everyone is anxious to have their surgery go perfectly -- but that is not the real world.  And oftentimes this anxiety is translated into asking the doctor to do something -- when in actuality, the best thing to do is to do nothing -- at least in the short term.

Relax, allow your body to heal and follow your surgeon's advice. 

Dr Jacobs

[Ronaldinho123]

Thanks alot for your response Dr. Jacobs.. I appreciate it.

Based on your reply I will definitely just follow the surgeons advice, which is to rub it hard for a while and see where it takes me. I hope it will flatten out, because I am sure it's not tissue, because everytime I went to see him to remove the blood, it has been completely flat. But the blood has returned within hours after removing, it has just returned in "smaller" amounts. First 40 ml, then 10, and now it is a little smaller but he cant take it out with a syringe.

But I'm am glad to hear, that whatever blood may remain, the body will automatically remove it within months.

Thanks again for your advice, it is very useful.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

You are most welcome -- just be patient (that's the hardest thing to do!!).

Dr Jacobs

[Ronaldinho123]

Hi again dr. jacobs.
I just thought of something, even though my surgeon removed the blood, my nipple is still pointy and hard underneath, as i explained. And I have rubbed it every day as my surgeon suggested, and it has improved a little bit.

But could it be scar tissue? It feels hard and sore, and it makes my nipple point out. Especially when i raise my arm and look at my chest from the side, it looks very pointy.
In that case, if it is scartissue, how long should I wait to get a kenalog injection? and will it help with a kenalog to remove the hardness?

Thanks alot.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Sorry, but at this point I really can't make a diagnosis for you -- you would have to return to your surgeon and pose the same questions to him.

Dr Jacobs