# Hard Lump on abdomen on side of incision ???



## itsme2 (Feb 10, 2013)

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## Lisa (Feb 13, 2013)

I would get it checked - it may be another pocket that is abscessing....hopefully it is just scar tissue - but better to get it checked in my opinion!


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## Andrew k (Feb 13, 2013)

I'd say the same,  sounds like it could be an abscess. I had on in my bottom and left it. Also had to start having it packed then ended up with a seton for 3 years until dec last year when I had a proctectomy. Definitely get it checked, if your not confident in your surgeon you could ask for a second opinion.


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## Jennifer (Feb 14, 2013)

My GI also looked at my wound, not just the surgeon so maybe your GI could also have a look at it. How large is the other lump? Does it hurt at all? Does it seem like its getting larger or is it hot to the touch? 

With mine the skin healed over but the entire area had to be cut back open. Its very possible that you're dealing with another section that's not healing properly or the entire thing isn't healing properly so it needs to be looked at by someone soon. 

Keep us posted itsme2.  I know wound packing isn't fun but it may be better than dealing with a seton for a longer period of time (I mean if you're packing one spot might as well pack everywhere that needs it so it heals around the same amount of time).


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## annawato (Feb 14, 2013)

i had the same problem after my surgery, the surgeons said it wasn't a problem even though I was spiking 104 deg fevers and had high WBC. Instead they did chest xray and urine tests a few times even though I kept telling them it was the wound. Finally the wound burst open of its own accord and they began to treat it. So the moral of the story is trust your own instincts and get a second opinion from your gastro or family doctor. It could well be scar tissue, hard red areas around the wound are common and do settle with time but its better to be on the safe side.I had my last surgery on 23 Nov and I still have hard red areas around the wound but i am confident these aren't abscesses cos there is no pain or warmth.  What does the nurse who is packing your other wound say? Are you getting fevers and is the area sore or warm? These are all indications of infection. Let us know how you get on, and wishing you a speedy recovery,


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## itsme2 (Feb 16, 2013)

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## Jennifer (Feb 16, 2013)

When I had the wound packing done it would bleed a little bit as the gauze does scrape against sections that have tried to heal over even though the gauze is wet/moist (just like if you pick a scab that's not ready to come off it will bleed, its your bodies natural healing response). Removing the packing also made it bleed a little bit along with scrubbing it in the shower. Mine was about 2 inches deep to start and 4 inches across and I believe it took a month and a half to heal completely. Its was packed twice a day. I never saw a lot of blood and it didn't bleed through the packing.


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## annawato (Feb 16, 2013)

I should have said touchwood! After writing I'm confident these aren't abscesses I've now developed an area at the bottom of my wound, that had healed, that is soft and squishy as if there is fluid underneath the (very) thin layer of healed skin. Its slightly sore and warm although I don't have a temp. The nurse is coming tomorrow to dress further up so I'll see what she suggests. 
itsme2, I'm not sure about the bleeding. As Crabby said a little is probably ok but if its too much then again get it checked out. My wound bled a little when I had the vac dressing on but the nurses said that was ok. Hard to say without seeing it. Sorry I can't help more,
:heart: anna


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## itsme2 (Feb 16, 2013)

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## Jennifer (Feb 16, 2013)

I think mine is ugly but no one else thinks so. I had a bellybutton flap until it finally joined with the rest of the skin but I know many people are left without a bellybutton at all. Only person I can think of off the top of my head who doesn't have a bellybutton anymore is Afidz yet she's had multiple surgeries. After 14 years the scar is nowhere near as bad as it was looking when it first healed up.


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## afidz (Feb 16, 2013)

It may be scar tissue forming around the incision site. Like Crabby said, the bleeding is probably from taking off the gauze. If it becomes excess amounts (like dripping blood and soaking through the gauze) I would call the doctor. I lost my belly button because there was to much scar tissue around it and couldn't be saved.


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## annawato (Feb 17, 2013)

Yes I have ugly scars but like afidz have had multiple surgeries plus twins at full term by caesarean. so my belly is definitely not going to win any beauty prizes. Or see the general public for that matter. My community nurse suggested Bio oil to improve the scars (not sure if you have it over there) but I think its  a bit of a lost cause for me.


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## Anders.USA (Jun 6, 2015)

Hello to all...I am brand new to this forum...am glad to have found this site as it is very informative and seems to have great people posting.
Essentially, I recently had a major abdominal surgery...kock pouch repair...among other issues I am having post op is a situation of an extremely painful hard lump about the size of a baseball right beneath my midline incision. I am not sure if it is scar tissue, or it seems like the skin closed and feels like may be an abscess or fistula directly beneath my incision. I traveled out of state for my operation, and am not feeling well enough to travel all the way back up north to get to see my surgeon to examine situation. Local docs are no help..they just say go back to surgeon in nyc. In any event, wondering if any board members have had similar situation and seeking any info or advice which would be greatly appreciated. One other thing which may be important is that this painful lump gets much worse when ever I try to eat food...even soft foods seems to get to that area, and the lump gets harder and more painful..it resolves a bit a few hours later after the food kind of gets past that area of intestines right beneath the incision. I know I prob should try and make it back to nyc, but my surgeon seems to not want to acknowledge things even if it is very serious...seems to kind of be very dismissive and will prob say it is nothing..from experience, the nothing usually turns out to be something. Oh well...Thanks again in advance for any info/advice...also, as mentioned, am glad that such a great forum like this is available.  Sincerely, Anders


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## UnXmas (Jun 6, 2015)

Anders, how recently was your surgery? Soon after surgery (weeks) complications are more likely to be due to problems healing, like infections. Later (months) complications are more likely to be due to adhesions. But anything that size and painful is not good! What other complications have you had? Do you have a fever? Are your bowel movements normal (or as normal as they get for you)? Sorry for the personal questions, there's just not any way of avoiding them with Crohn's. 

Have the doctors you've seen locally at least examined the lump and done basic blood checks? If not I think you should get them done as soon as possible.  

I had an infection in an incision site, it made a large area hard and painful to touch (though food didn't affect the pain). The skin was red. Some pus came from the incision. Does that sound anything like what you're experiencing?

There are a lot of things this could be though, I think you should see a doctor soon. Infections can spread quickly if untreated, but a simple course of antibiotics stops them completely. If you have a fever, see a doctor right away.


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## UnXmas (Jun 6, 2015)

Jennifer said:


> I think mine is ugly but no one else thinks so. I had a bellybutton flap until it finally joined with the rest of the skin but I know many people are left without a bellybutton at all. Only person I can think of off the top of my head who doesn't have a bellybutton anymore is Afidz yet she's had multiple surgeries. After 14 years the scar is nowhere near as bad as it was looking when it first healed up.


I realise this post is old, but I don't have a bellybutton anymore. I can't say I miss it.


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## Anders.USA (Jun 6, 2015)

Surgery was about a month ago....a day or so after surgery..fever...they did ct  scan...debated about  fact  that there was fluid build up..vs  abscess/es..radiologist wanted to do  aspiration and take  out fluid...surgeon said no..then they had  specialist place me on  iv  antibiotics...then fever  went away..then sent home few  days  later...was and still am in severe pain at the incision site..yes..you are prob  100  percent  correct, need doc to see it, but  dilemma is that local docs  say  go  back  to  surgeon out of state, and I just know that I will fly out there and he will examine and say it is nothing, and eventually, I am thinking it will turn out to get worse, and will have to travel back to surgeon  again...I  am  thinking of  trying to find  the best  surgeon  I  can  nearby  who  hopefully will be able  to   diagnose....Just a very  worrisome situation for me...Thanks  for reply....Anders


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## Anders.USA (Jun 6, 2015)

UnXmas said:


> I realise this post is old, but I don't have a bellybutton anymore. I can't say I miss it.




lol...just  by  coincidence..I don't  have  one any  more  either...during surgery  prior to most recent op, they  removed iut...lot of scar tissue...it  is  vexing that my last  incision was  closed / sewn   absolutely  perfect...straight , tight, perfect...and  this  one  was an absolute  mess ( the  incision closure...)   Aside from the lump, part of the incision beneath that  actually opened up and I have to pack it...I asked  the docs  to  open up the entire  wound/incision...but...noooo...now  I have  complications that could have  been avoided...


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## Anders.USA (Jun 28, 2015)

Have read the above posts/info again, very helpful information. I am still dealing with a approx.  baseball sized lump  in the middle of my recent mid-line surgery incision. The lumps is hard, gets red at times, and also hot. It seems as if it is a combination of issues going on...scar tissue, abscess, etc....Surgeon who had residents or a p.a  close my wound of course is NO  help what so ever....Basically I am still in the stressful chore of dealing with the effects of the situation...pain, etc, and trying to find a medical center with surgeons and a radiology dept. that can perhaps , hopefully, determine exactly what is occurring and come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan.  It is difficult, as I have what is know as a Kock  Pouch, and when I see local surgeons, they pretty much immediately say I have to go to a med center/hospital/surgeon that is familiar with my type of surgery.  The pain and dysfunction...the internal pouch is not functioning well since recent surgery to repair the valve ...lol...they  repaired the valve and destroyed the pouch  it seems, and left me some added extras such as the incision/scar tissue/abscess  lump.... I am at the point where the pain and dysfunction is so bad that I almost am wishing for an end Brooke  Ileo..  I am pretty sure that with the combination of these complications, that is pretty much what may have to be done....Well, again, great website, people, info....any advice will be appreciated...Sincerely,  Anders


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