tenderness and swelling from double mastectomy

Developing hematoma is complication, specifically associated with a mastectomy surgery.
Feeling tenderness of the area next to the incision is another main complication due to this procedure. It result from several nerves that were cut during the surgery and, usually, subsides as the nerves grow back.
You can have delayed healing of the wound at the incision site, too.

Are you experiencing skin numbness along the incision site?

yes, numbness in areas. in the beginning there was a large area on right side, actually most of the chest....but not under the arm. on left was a few areas, not many. But strangely since hematoma surgery the right sides for the most part feeling is returning, and I am finding out the numbness may not have been a bad thing but natures way of saving us from extra soreness. Although surgery site...where they cut... for hematoma is still numb.

MaryJean

Skin numbness along the incision site, is also caused by cutting several nerves during the surgery.
Have you consulted your physician when will be the right time for you to start wearing breast prosthesis?
It varies for each woman depending on her surgery and healing (you had developed a complication, heamatoma, so, I guess your healing process will be delayed).
Most women will be able to wear a prosthesis (breast form) within 2-8 weeks after the surgery.
You can buy a camisole that has soft attachable prostheses until the surgical site is healed (this can be worn immediately after mastectomy).
How is the healing process going?

Best wishes!
Marija

Hi, I have a hematoma which turned up more than one month after my mastectomy but I can't find much information about it. How does it resolve? Does it require further surgery? Is it a problem? How common is it? Thanks for your help.

Have you informed your surgeon for this complication?

This collection of blood under the scar, usually resolve over time without treatment.
But, it's up to your surgeon to decide if hematoma will be left untreated or will be treated with a needle and syringe.
Will you receive chemotherapy after mastectomy?
Less than 10 % of women will experience heamatoma as a complication of mastectomy.

Hi MandMs. I am api2 but had to change my name as I forgot my password! Yes, I have told my surgeon. He is the one who said I had a hematoma. He has aspirated it twice (the liquid was thick and bloody). It is now 4 months after the surgery. I have had 4 cycles of AC chemo. At first the swelling was considered to be seroma which the surgeon didn't want to aspirate but now he considers it a hematoma and has aspirated it twice at 3 weekly intervals. The swelling is now coming back, accompanied by bruishing and is spreading into the chest and underarm area.

I realise it is rare and I can't find anything about it. Surgeons just are not very good at giving out information.

Bluejean Angel said she had another operation for the hematoma ... is that what usually happens?

Local complications following mastectomy, like hematoma, are of considerable importance if chemotherapy right after surgery is to be used.

I guess the surgeon will continue with aspirations, because there is a risk this to be infected.

When is your next appointment with the surgeon?

I have finished chemo 8 weeks ago and am still requiring aspiration approximately every 3 weeks. The surgeon, who is very experienced, says he has never seen anything like it. He says it is clearly not going to get better by itself and that I will need another operation to fix it up as well as to fix up the stretched skin. However, I have not been booked in for surgery, I suspect he might still be hoping it will fix itself.

I thought if I was going to have another general anasthetic, I could get the other breast off (which I want to, for no real good reason other than to be symetrical again - and I prefer no breast to a falsie). I wonder how likely another complication like this would happen if I did?

Are you suggesting that the hematoma might have been in some way aggrivated by the chemo?