post biopsy complications

[trinity-37]

I had a open biopsy on breast 2 weeks ago today. I bruised very bad and have a egg size knot at the site. What i wonder is what is the 4 inch rope feeling pencil size area that is tender and painful.

[Bridget777]

A related discussion, Infection from biopsy was started.

[kilisa]

3 weeks ago I had 7 sterotactic core biopsies done with a 9 guage needle.  I also bled internally, and now at each of the biopsy sites I have hard lumps.  They are healing, but slowly.  I have been advised by my surgeons that I cannot have the lumpectomy for my cancer until the hematomas heal more.  Their concern is thier ability to image the area effectively so they can properly insert the wires for the bracketed lumpectomy.  I asked the radiologist who did my biopsies if there is anything I can do to speed up the healing process, and he said no, just not to exercise or jump around too much.  Apparently, hematoma's are fairly common with biopsies, because I had 7 in one session (4 hours on the table), the trauma to the breast tissue was signficant.  I am hoping that the hardness goes away, because now, instead of just one lump, I have 7 lumps.

[cicci]

I had exactly the same thing happen to me.  The 4 inch rope is a called a 'strand'.  It is a thrombosed vein.  This sometimes happens when a vein is blocked after surgery and becomes inflamed.  There are topical applications that may help and you should speak to your doctor about this.  The vein should shrivel up in time but who knows how long this will take.

[SnowWoman]

Like you, when I had my first biopsy (20+ years ago), I had a lot of bruising and scar tissue.  I was black & blue from my breastbone clear around my side and from my collar bone to the bottom of my ribs.  I had a hematoma that broke open a couple weeks after surgery and soaked my clothes with dark blood.  It was pretty scary but nothing serious.  I think part of the reason for this was that they made the incision around my areola (to "hide" the scar) but the lump was pretty far back under my arm -- it made some sense since I was 23 at the time.  With my recent biopsy (2 weeks ago), I told them I wasn't concerned about the external scarring and they came in from the side.  I've got about a 2 1/2 long incision with a knotty area longer than the external scar which I assume is where they sutured the tissue underneath.  It does seem to be healing well.  Talk to your doctor/surgeon about it.  With me, they used heat treatments to help clear out some of the blood.  All the best as you go through the healing process.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear trinity - 37:  This could be some scar tissue or fibrous tissue.  The egg sized knot at the site sounds like a hematoma - or large bruise.  You should point out all these problems when you next see the surgeon.

[surgeon]

it's not unusual to bruise after a breast biopsy, and to develop a lump in the area for awhile. It can take weeks to go away. However, the only person who can really give you accurate info for your personal situation is the surgeon who did the biopsy.