Groin Pain After Angioplasty & Cardiac Stent

[Leah0154]

Eight weeks ago I had a heart attack and 2 procedures to place stents in - right coronary artery and the next day in the left circumflex.  Four weeks post procedure I developed severe leg cramps and groin and back pain.  Stopping Lipitor helped the cramps, but the groin pain is ongoing and worsening.  It primarily hurts when I sit, but has started to ache when I walk the past week.  Primary Care Doctor thinks it might be a hernia (although he can't feel anything) and said to give it two weeks.  The pain seems to move from the groin area (near the incision, which has healed) up about 3 or 4 inches and radiates to my back.  Heat and pain relievers do not help.  Any ideas what could be causing this?
Female, age 55.

[Leah0154]

Thanks again, Ed.  Apparently I did not have an angioseal because I was in ICU and they had me lay on my back for six hours and put pressure on the artery to stop the bleeding.  I guess they only do the angioseal so the patient doesn't need to stay in the hospital otherwise. (Believe me -- six hours on my back was painful enough!).  I just wonder if I should ask for tests to confirm my suspicion of nerve damage -- or just deal with it.  Since there is no swelling, fever, bleeding -- only pain -- could it be anything else?  

[ed34]

They would have put the angioseal in after the second procedure and you can usually feel a small lump under the point of the incision.
You could have raised a good point regarding a nerve. The lateral cutaneous nerve runs lateral to the puncture site used in angioplasty, so if a mistake is made it could be damaged. Some patients have had some damage to the nerve and complained of lots of pain, or numbness or pins and needles in the thigh. The damage usually repairs over several weeks. The most common reason for pain is the angioseal putting pressure on the nerve but this gradually eases as the seal dissolves over 90 days.

[Leah0154]

There is one other point that may (or may not be) unusual.  I had the first stent placed on a Saturday night and the second stent Sunday mid-morning.  They did not remove something (don't know what you'd call it) until after the second stent.  Could that have caused some kind of damage?  
Leah

[Leah0154]

Thank you, Ed34.  They did not mention anything about an angioseal and no blood work since I got out of the hospital.  I have a copy of the hospital records and there is no mention of an angioseal.  They mentioned bleeding and swelling, fever -- but there are no symptoms except pain.  I have gone to my primary care physician -- he told me to return in 2 weeks.  He was thinking hernia but felt no lumps.  I suppose he didn't consider the angioplasty since I'm not his only patient... I'm beginning to believe a nerve was damaged when they removed the catheter.  The nurse doing it was in training... I am not incapacitated, but am uncomfortable.

[ed34]

Have they done a blood test to see if you are likely to be forming a clot?
Usually they tell you that an angioseal has been placed on your artery which takes about 90 days to dissolve completely. At this time they usually warn you that if you get any bad discomfort in that are to go to the hospital to have it checked. Did they inform you of this and give you an instruction leaflet?