Author Topic: old stitch caused swelling?  (Read 7088 times)

james e

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old stitch caused swelling?
« on: April 13, 2011, 04:03:09 pm »
Two weeks ago I had some swelling that covered my BAHA abutment. I applied some ointment that quickly brought the swelling down...happy camper. Just two days ago, I was rubbing the area that had been swollen, and an old stitch that must have been working its way out, surfaced and fell out. The very small opening has already scabbed over and is healing. I had the surgery in July 2010. Anyone else have a similar story?

leapyrtwins

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2011, 10:53:06 pm »
Interesting story, James.  This didn't happen to me, but I had a screw from my AN surgery that was popping through my skin near my BAHA site that my doc had to surgically remove.  Very small procedure, some lidocaine, a screwdriver, a few jokes between the doc and I, and the rest is history.

I'm glad to hear that you're already healing and that there was some reason behind the swelling near your abutment.

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

lori67

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2011, 08:50:20 am »
Yes, I've had a few rebel stitches that didn't want to dissolve too.  Very irritating little buggers, but once they're out, the area usually settles down nicely.  Hopefully this is what was causing your swelling and now that the stitch is gone, everything will be just fine!

And I think Jan just admitted she had a screw loose...   ;)

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Sam Rush

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2011, 11:18:51 am »
My BAHA site didn't heal well for one year, until a dermatologist pulled out a stubborn retained stitch.
1 cm AN translab, Dr. Brackmann, Dr. Schwartz, Dr Doherety HEI   11/04   Baha 7/05

james e

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2011, 12:19:33 pm »
Jan, did your doctor drink the screwdriver, or use one to tighten your loose screw?

leapyrtwins

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2011, 09:50:04 pm »
James, you amuse me  :D

Neither.  He used his screwdriver to remove the screw - and he very kindly sent me home with that souvenir.

Truth be told, he probably thought I was a little crazy when I asked to keep it, but I explained that I come from a long line of wacky people.  I reinforced that story by telling him that my older brother actually has my father's hip bones (he's had hip replacement surgery).  True story; think it got a chuckle out of my doc, which was my goal  ;D

Somewhere on this Forum I posted pictures of the screw that was removed from my head; it's amazing how tiny it is.  When it was under my skin and bugging the heck out of me it felt like a boulder.

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

opp2

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2011, 08:35:07 am »
I have had this experience with 'dissolving' stitches. Not in my head mind you. The first experience was with my wisdom teeth removal, then when my first baby was born. Now I tell the docs- no dissolving stitches...they don't dissolve in my body for some reason. Both times I've had to have the stitches removed at the clinic.
Diagn Apr 14 2009 with 2.5 cm lt AN. - numbness in the face and sudden onset headaches accompanied by balance issues. Consults with Drs in S Ontario, California (House) and Vancouver. Picked Dr. Akagami in BC.
Retrosigmoid July 6, 2010, 3.0cm by then. SSD left, no other significant side effects.

dalern

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2011, 12:09:38 am »
I ended up pulling out a number of my "dissolving" stitches after my abutment was places.  I would feel these little buggers poking out, and they were long enough to grab.  I removed a number of them!  So much for dissolving stitches!
~Dale
Dale Barnes, RN, MSN, CLNC
Tarzana, CA
1998 Sudden Onset Idiopathic Sensorineural  hearing loss diagnosed at House Ear Institute, Los Angeles
BAHA June 30, 2010 Dr. Jeffrey Harris UCSD San Diego

james e

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Re: old stitch caused swelling?
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2011, 05:35:20 am »
Mine was not poking out but I could feel a hard spot under my skin for a long time, and just thought it was part of the  surgery. Glad it is all over now!