Has anyone developed a lump on incision site?

[Lovemygirls2]

I am two weeks post op- and doing well!  I feel better than I have felt in a year!  The majority of my symptoms are gone!  I have one question though.  Is there anyone that has had the surgery that developed a lump on the incision site?  It's a pretty massive lump- so much so that when people come to visit- they look at my head and say, Whoa what is that lump???  Seriously- it looks like a growth!  I went Monday and had the staples removed and asked the nurse about the lump.  She said it was fine- not oozing, not infected, etc.  She said it was just swollen.  I was just wondering if anyone else had one of these appear and if so- how long before it goes away?  I mean it looks like my head has a new shape!  It's gross!  My incision hasn't grossed anyone out- but the lump....yep!  And- it is a little sore!  It's hard to lay my head back because this massive lump makes it uncomfortable!  Thanks all!  :)

[selmaS]

  Wonderful news!!....Really they retracted...that is not a common thing to have happen...but, that is not the chiari, that is the result of chiari, ....chiari is the malformation of the skull that forces the cerebral tonsils to herniate.....

So his chiari is not gone, his herniation is.....which is great news!!  : )

  I pray he continues to recover like this and all goes smooth for him.

[basket_26]

Just wanted to give you an update...
He got his lumbar drain out today. Hes doing SO good
This is the best i have seen him since his last surgery.
He knows what he can and cannot do.
He doesnt have a lump like he did last time.
Oh and his Chiari is GONE!! well at least the tonsils have ascended back up

[selmaS]

  Well I am glad he has his orders : )


  Let him know we r thinking about him

[basket_26]

Oh we wont let him. I wont be around too much cuz we dont live together but he will be wearing his collar for two weeks straight and then hes only going to be allowed up to use the bathroom and to eat... THATS IT

[selmaS]

  Thanks for the update.....and do not let him do much when he does get home....he has to move forward slowly......

     "selma"

[basket_26]

Hes doing really well. The Dr said that this is how he should have been last time. Last time he was able to turn his head. The Dr also thinks that the ICU messed him up because they stood him up and they had him elevated it the bed. He should have been laying flat.
Today was hard on everyone just cuz everyone was emotional.

Thanks for your support and advice.

[selmaS]

  Thanks for the update...let him know, we r sending well wishes to him....

[basket_26]

Well it ended up being just a pin hole size hole in his patch and it wouldnt have been a problem but at some point he ripped the stitches that were there to heal the muscles that they had to cut apart. The spinal fluid got behind those muscles and was causing alot of pain and eating at his muscles.
Just left him in ICU tonight. He will be in there for 5 days because they put a drain in it to let things heal without pressure building.

[selmaS]

  Wow...it tore that easily?.... does he bruise easy?...slow to heal?

  I would ask about checking for Ehlers-Danlos and he may be better with sterri strips and glue then staples....

   Know I will keep him in my prayers

            "selma"

[basket_26]

He got sick the other day and when he threw up he ended ripping apart his patch. So now his lump is HUGE like you can put your hand over it.
Sitting in waiting room now waiting on surgery. Keep you posted

[selmaS]

  Oh no,,,what happened?...was it the lump?....how is he now?

[basket_26]

Well he was rushed to the hospital today. Got re-admitted, had an MRI and now surgery is tomorrow...

Does this nightmare end?

[selmaS]

  No worries ...we are here for u or him when ever u need us : )

Please keep us posted .

   "selma"

[basket_26]

Well by the looks of it when i saw it today, it looks like it might be muscle related but we still wont know for a couple days.

Thanks for the info. Its hard to really know whats going on when i havent been through it and he doesnt like to bug me with it.

[selmaS]

  Tell him to cut back on getting his head wet...and the shampoo should be J&J baby shampoo....

  The lump as I said could be tight muscles or a collection of CSF fluid....

  And no matter how tough he is tell him it is even tougher to be man enuff to admit he needs help and has an issue...it is easier to not say nething.lol...trying a like psychology...

  Keep us posted
   "selma"

[basket_26]

He takes a shower every day and washes his head. for a while till about 2 or 3 days after he got his staples out he was just rinsing water over it. now he does use shampoo on his head.

we went last week for an emergency visit about this lump he has. but he goes for his MRI tomorrow and goes to his DR thursday for the results of his MRI. Im going with him so if he doesnt say anything about the tearing then im going to say something. He likes to be a tough guy

[selmaS]

  The skin continues to pull tho as it heals and depending on how often he washes his hair or gets his head wet, that adds to the pulling....

Oh ok...so, he was already to the Dr, when is his next visit?

[basket_26]

His scar from the incision is all healed up... so i dont think it was that

[basket_26]

hes had them out for about 2 weeks now.
I'm hoping its something simple

[selmaS]

  It is possible that tearing feeling is the scar...as it heals and the skin dries it pulls and can give the sensation of tearing....

When does he go back for his post op visit for his stitches or staples to be removed?

[basket_26]

From today its been 4 weeks.
But he also complained about something feeling like its "tearing" tonight.
He has no idea that im on here, its more just for my curiosity.
We will know more this week about whats going on. Just really scared and nervous for him.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Many that have chiari decompression surgery can develop this lump which is a collect of CSF fluid...many times it can be absorbed and it goes away, sometimes it takes meds, and some it takes procedures or  surgery to alleviate this issue.

And sometimes it is the muscle , u can get a knot...so this should be checked to see just what it is.
How long since ur BF had his surgery?

    "selma"

[basket_26]

Any word on that lump that you had on the back of your head? my boyfriend just developed it and hes going in for an MRI on wednesday to see if he will need surgery again. Today is 4 weeks since he had his surgery... Although it was scary then, idk if i can see him go through another one.
We are all scared and i was just wondering what they said about your lump.

[Lovemygirls2]

About the surgery video- wasn't it cool!  Didn't it help you understand alot of your pains!  :)  I actually watched it twice!  I found it one night at like 12:00!  It was an hour and a half- I thought ok I'm not going to sit here and watch this for that long- but I DID!  I watched every minute of it!  Then the next night Trey and I watched it again! Haha-  I thought it was really cool!  That stuff its neat- just don't like horror stuff!  :)  Little different!