Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 3/29/2011

Question
Dear Doctor:
I had bi-lateral mascetomy on jan 24th,2011.  After 7 days out from surgery went for post-op visit with general surgeon and he said their were burns.  These burns ended up being the cleavage area, and surgeon 1st said they could possibly be from chemo.  2nd visit post -op 14 days out he asked me if i ever smoked, and this time he said the burns could be from my past smoking.
3rd visit, then i was gettin very cynical (sp) and asked him what this wks cause of the burns were, he said due to the lack of blood flow in that area and because of chemo and my past smoking ...  that was the cause.

2nd visit he asked me if i wanted the fluid that was still some in the right breast and cause of the smoking remark, i asked him if the fluid would hurt me in any way being left and he said no that it would eventually drain out of the body.  well 2/14 i asked him to remove fluid, which he did, and remarked that the prior wk i did not want the fluid removed... said that i was going to spain and  i did not want any problems.  

Left breast had a burn that was 3 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide but it since has healed, but scar is still fading and will take another couple months for it to heal.  The right breast burn was much smaller, but due to fluid was not healing, and i though even after he removed fluid with syringe on 2/14, drains were removed  too soon apparently for right 1.  It would not heal an the burn was much smaller than R, was only inch long  by 1/16th inch.  This 1 was not healing.  Surgeon was not doing anything.   Went to ER they would not help.   saw my pharmacist she said see another doc.  no 1 would see me.  My primary care doc would not see me, still under surgeons' care.  my plastic surgeon would not see me.   ER would do nothing.  finally my surgeon was on vac.   My navigator and 2nd nav  at Duke new what was going on said she had never seen anything like it in 7 yrs. working  at duke.  Finally my surgeon was on vac wk before spain trip march by now.. called general surgeons office, got to see another surgeon in group.. he saw me on a wed before trip, and went in next day to see another 1 who was a wound specialist.  I am now in spain and its almost april 1st. and would is still a inch long 1/16th in length and i am still stuffing with gauze and saline.  

What do u think would cause a burn in the OR?.  Dr. said from beginning of march ths might take 2 to 3 months to heal.
I've been babying this since jan 24th.  Do u think my plastic surgeon will be able to rebuild ths with no scaring, or won't look badly?.  burns are along the staple area in the clevage area.  I have pictures from 10 days out.  but this has been a long process.   scared about picking a plastic surgeon after this event.  Already saw supposedly best plastic surgeon but don't think the plastic surgery will happen till fall cause of these burns.

thank u

Dian Jarvis

Answer
I'm not a surgeon but a medical oncologist & radiation therapist. So I strongly suggest that you direct your question to an expert of surgery here as it is outside my area of expertise.


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