Kenalog Injection

[Ride09]

Just had a couple quick questions about kenalog shots for the doctors on here. I was given one shot at 6 weeks post op for breaking up scar tissue and then another one today at 10 weeks post op. So I was wondering...

1.) How long does it take for kenalog to start working/how long does it continue to work for?
2.) What exactly is it that keeps the kenalog in my chest, as opposed to getting carried around to the rest of the body? Will massaging disperse the steroid in any way?

Thank you for any input!

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

In my experience, kenalog needs a few days to begin to exert its effects -- and it continues to work for about 6 weeks or so.

Kenalog is injected within the scar tissue -- not into the bloodstream.  So it usually remains where it is placed.

One need only massage during the first few moments after it has been injected -- to help disperse the medication within the scar tissue.  Massage after that does not help.

Dr Jacobs

[Ride09]

Appreciate it Dr Jacobs! your answers have been helping me out a lot through this process. Now when you say massage after the injection will not help, do you mean as far as dispersing the Kenalog? or for breaking up scar tissue? Because I was instructed to keep massaging daily to physically break up the tissue while the Kenalog is in there.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Usually some gentle massage is done immediately after the injection -- merely to disperse the medication.  It need not be done afterwards -- the kenalog will be doing the work.  If you do want to do something, then you can do some massage -- but it truly isn't necessary.

Dr Jacobs

[Litlriki]

I often encourage my patients to massage the tissue in the operative site to avoid any tethering of overlying skin to the underlying muscle or fascia, which is probably not so important in most patients.  In some patients, however, the scar can form within the layers of resection and cause such tethering, and early massage can minimize that.  It may also help with resolution of swelling of the tissue.

Rick Silverman