Breast cancer sugery not healed - liquid discharge from wound

Hello!

My Mother 59 years had breast surgery on Sep 2010 and her left breast was with some lymph nodes. She had 3 Chemo before surgery and 2 Chemo after surgery. Now her wound caused by the surgery was not healed completely. She had yellowish transparent liquid coming from the wound she deep hole caused by the surgery. Pain in her left hand. What caused this problem?

[japdip]

Sorry but I wouldn't know the cause of the poor healing unless she also had Radiation which does interfere with the healing process. This doesn't sound like an infection from your description of the fluid .... no doubt it is serum which does accumulate following most breast surgeries. I hope that your Mother is seeing her Surgeon on a regular basis about this continued drainage as there would be a solution to the problem.  Regards ....

[Vijai77]

Thanks for the reply. Yes doctor said luckly it is not infected due to Chemo it is not healed. But stiches get opened it looks like a leather bag now. Doctor asked to dress the area daily (using HO and T-bat oinment). If doctor re-stich the opening will it heal quickly?

Radition is not started. One chemo (6th) is pending. Doctor said chemo is enough for her.

[Vijai77]

She also have sugar now (170units). She is not able to eat solid foods only liquid and semi-solid foods are eatable. What food is best for her now?

[japdip]

In cases such as this it is usually best to let this heal from the inside .... stitching it closed would not be the best thing. If you mean that she is a diabetic then this is no doubt the reason that she is not healing normally. As far as what type of food is best; I'm sure she has been advised as to a special diet due to the "sugar" issue so she should follow that as best she can. Most foods can be ground or mashed and some liquid added so that she can better tolerate them.  Kindest regards ....

[Vijai77]

Doctor asked my mother to admit in hospital to give 2 units of blood. Also he said he is going to give mild anesthesia and dress the wound to remove the top layer of the wound and will attach tube to drain the liquid, so it will quickly heal. But I don't whether he will stich the wound or not.

Some light yellowish fluid (pus like) is started to come today. Is it infected? How to check whether it is infected or not. What will happen if it's infected.

What question I should ask the doctor?

[Vijai77]

Also my mother is not diabetics patient before the surgery. After the surgery only her blood sugar leve increased to 170mg. Some say it may be because of her stress or infection. Is it true?

[japdip]

What your Mother's Dr. has recommended sounds like the best solution for her drainage problem. If he intends to clean out the wound and insert a drain I believe he will stitch the opening. In this event healing will have a better chance to take place although it make take some time. If there is some slight infection (which I doubt) this area may be removed as your Dr. has planned and if there were some infection I'm sure the Dr. will prescribe an Antibiotic after the surgery. I hope your Mother will take the Dr.s advice so that the incision will heal properly. Many things can affect one's blood sugar but I would advise that she be ck.d for this problem as diabetes can appear at any time and at any age.  Kindest regards to both you and your Mother ......

[Vijai77]

She already had a course of antibiotic with 2 units of blood last week. I think he going to do the same thing again. Thanks for your reply.

[Vijai77]

She had the minor surgery. Surgeon said they have given anethesia and removed the "solugh" and stiched the wound and inserted some tube under the chest to drain the liquid which will be collected in a pad of cotton which will be removed and dressed daily.

Dr asked put Abdominal Binder around the wound to hold the skin for quick heal. Is it Abdominal or Rib binder. Please clarify?

[japdip]

Any type of binder would work .... it could be called either. The abdominal binder would differ only in that it would be wider than one used over the rib area. It just depends on how much of the area you need to cover.   Regards ....

[Vijai77]

Dr asked to take protein rich food. Shall I given protein drinks? How much shall i given. will it have any side effect?

[japdip]

Yes, I think protein drinks would be fine ... that would help in the healing process and also her overall general health. I would just suppliment her normal meal with an extra protein drink, you can check the calorie content of whatever product you are using. I see no side effects and I'm sure your Dr. wouldn't recommend anything that would do harm.   Kindest regards ....