extreme swelling on one side

[goku]

hey guys, first post!
I had gyno surgery 2 weeks ago today from -- poland (full gland removal)
my left side encountered a hematoma while I was over there which the surgeon drained immediately and now this side has healed very well.

my right side began to swell very badly after 1 week when i returned home.
I aspirated over 100cc's of old thick blood. I then went and saw my G.P who told me i had an infection on this side likely from leaving the blood to collect in that side. He prescribed me antibiotics which I have taken now for 5 days.

My right side is extremely swollen, the complete opposite to my left which is completely flat.
I tried to aspirate more blood from the site but cant seem to get any more out so I doubt there is more blood in there.
what do you guys think is causing the extreme swelling?

much appreciated

[alex09]

Hi, the exact same thing has happened to me. It's been 12 days now after the surgery and my right breast is still swollen. THe other one completely flat. The doctor says in a few days it should become soft and then he'll drain it. How did you go? What did it end up looking like and when did it disappear?

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

My surgical philosophy is quite different.

I will only opt to watch a very small hematoma or seroma, with the thought of draining it when the clotted blood liquifies again at 10-12 days.

In general, if a patient has a reasonable sized hematoma, I believe the patient should be returned to the operating room, the wound opened, the clotted or liquid blood removed and a drain inserted.

Remember, if clotted blood is allowed to remain in the operated area, it will inevitably turn to excess scar tissue and lead to asymmetry of the chest.

Dr Jacobs

[born2fight]

hey guys, first post!
I had gyno surgery 2 weeks ago today from -- poland (full gland removal)
my left side encountered a hematoma while I was over there which the surgeon drained immediately and now this side has healed very well.

my right side began to swell very badly after 1 week when i returned home.
I aspirated over 100cc's of old thick blood. I then went and saw my G.P who told me i had an infection on this side likely from leaving the blood to collect in that side. He prescribed me antibiotics which I have taken now for 5 days.

My right side is extremely swollen, the complete opposite to my left which is completely flat.
I tried to aspirate more blood from the site but cant seem to get any more out so I doubt there is more blood in there.
what do you guys think is causing the extreme swelling?

much appreciated

I got operated 4 days ago. Still under Luekoband adhesive plaster... seems that left side has some old thick tar kind of blood, which is not coming out....hence drains are still on...and twice my surgeon tried to press the wound and drain the fluid ... a very painful experience... He plans to wait for 2 more days and aspirate the fluid... Is Aspiration a painful process ?

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Usually aspiration is not painful because the skin is numb.  There may be some pressing by the surgeon, which can be uncomfortable, though.

The problem with aspiration is that it can only remove liquid blood.  Just FYI, where there is a hematoma, the blood clots and becomes like currant jelly -- it doesn't flow through a syringe or needle.  One must then wait about 7-10 days until the body actually liquifies the clotted blood -- it is at that time that aspiration can work.  The problem is that liquifaction of the clotted blood doesn't occur all at one time -- so serial aspirations over a number of days may be needed to adequately remove the newly liquified blood clot.

Dr Jacobs