Swelling and Bloating Post Laparoscopic Ovarian Cystectomy

[bostonbride3]

Hi everyone,

I had a 10 centimeter "para" ovarian cyst removed on Friday, 7/24, so 3 days ago. No organ removal. I was aware going into the surgery that I would have some issues with gas pains, but was told that the bloating should subside within 2-3 days. My concern is that two of my three invisions don't hurt at all, and are pretty flat. My stomach is bloated overall, and my weight is a few pounds more than usual still (was 5'9 148 pounds going into surgery, work up next morning at 156, second morning was 153, this morning 150), but the bloating seems to be decreasing (taking my measurements it looks like at least my waist area is getting back to normal, slowly).

The problem is that at my third incision, right at the public hair line on the left side, there is a bulge of "fat" (swelling/inflammation/gas/bloating? Hopefully meaning it's not permanent?) right above it and it REALLY sticks out. It hurts pretty badly, especially in comparison to my other incisions, and keeps me from wearing my regular clothing. I'm wondering if anyone has had this extremely uneven stomach lump situation. I'm really hoping that in the end, everything will even out and go down. Even if someone tells me it'll happen in 2 months, I would feel better knowing I won't have this cliff looking fat bulge on just one side of my stomach.

One thing to note is that 6 years ago I lost over 100 pounds, and had some loose skin on the bottom of my stomach ever since. I'm wondering if the surgeon somehow sewed up some of that skin too high, and now the stitches are holding up the skin in an unnaturally high and buldgy position. Does that make any sense at all? The big painful buldge incision is also the biggest; while the one on the right side is half an inch, the painful incision is bigger than an inch.

Any info from anyone who has had any experience with this at all would be really helpful. Thanks!

[old_before_my_time]

Thank you for your kind words. Although unnecessary organ removal is an epidemic (55% of women lose healthy ovaries at the time of hysterectomy with most hysterectomies also being unnecessary), mine was done to help gynecology residents meet their hysterectomy surgical requirements. I did not even know the hospital had a residency program as it is not affiliated with any university (it was a Mercy hospital) until I was in pre-op and being sedated.

I feel for you having to undergo this additional procedure. I sure hope it corrects the bulge and pain! And I hope you can enjoy your friend's wedding in the meantime. Keep us posted.

[bostonbride3]

I'm so, so sorry to hear that your organs were removed unnecessarily. That's such an unbelievable violation of your trust. It really saddens me how surgery-happy doctors can be. I hope that your recovery has gone well, aside from that.

My problem seems small in comparison, but as an update, I did get to speak over the phone with the surgeon. I told him that the "massaging" of it at home was painful and only creating more bruising. I said that I would like for him to fix the problem (which he admitted happened during the stitching up, at least sort of taking responsibility). Basically he told me that he will fix it, but I have to heal first. My next step is to schedule a 6 week follow-up from the date of my laparoscopy (had no idea I had to do this, he acted as though I already had a date for that, but now scheduling that is on the docket for tomorrow morning). At this appointment, he plans to check out my incision and then, if all is well, I will come into the office a few days after that. At this time he will use a local anesthetic and go into the incision area to stretch/open things up inside there, which will loosen the too-tight stitched up part. I'm having a hard time conceptualizing exactly what is going on in there, but it seems to have to do with my loose skin from weight loss (btw it's really not that much, just a little line of it from hip bone to hip bone. I imagine many women have something like this, especially after childbirth etc. He is a seasoned surgeon; I'm surprised this is even an issue). I can't be 100% sure it's a skin issue, as he's a bit vague about exactly what is "caught."

Anyway, I'm bummed that I have to go 6 weeks like this, (not sure how odd I'll look in the bridesmaid dress I have to wear for a wedding I'm in soon), and I won't be able to fit my bulge into anything other than dresses. I'm glad, though, that I have some resolution, and a tentative date for when my body will hopefully look normal again. I'm just slightly nervous since it'll be done in the doctor's office instead of at the hospital, but I'll take it if it'll fix me!

Best wishes, and hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else!

[old_before_my_time]

That sounds odd that it would be "caught on something." I know that nerves can get entrapped or compressed in stitches but nerves are so small that would not seem to cause a bulge. Surgeons do not like to admit mistakes or incompetence. I have had a small bulge on my left side since surgery and when I mentioned it at my post-op, my surgeon "blew it off" as nothing. Well it is something to me because my belly is bigger on that side...not normal. But my whole surgery was a nightmare because my organs were unnecessarily removed.

Do you have a primary care doctor you can see for an opinion and maybe an ultrasound or some type of imaging? Going in for another surgery does not sound appealing especially by a surgeon who didn't do the best job. Keep us posted on your continuing recovery and what you find out.

[bostonbride3]

So I went to my appointment at the surgeon's office. He was super rushed but basically said that the reason for the bulge is that the stitch was "caught on something" seemingly internally. He tried to roughly massage it to get the stuff above the bulge to go down. He told me to keep rubbing the incision to try and break up the blockage and even things out like my other side. He said of it didn't work he could "go in there and loosen the stitch." Then he basically ran out of there and onto another patient.

I'm overwhelmed because I don't think this will ever go away. I feel like I'll never be able to wear normal clothing again and I feel like I was mis-stitched and he doesn't care. I think I'll call the office back tomorrow and ask some more questions, like at what point can he no longer loosen the stitch, since it will soon be completely dissolved. Ugh so frustrated and upset.

[bostonbride3]

Wow that was so helpful! It hadn't even occurred to me that it could be a hematoma! A nurse from the hospital called me yesterday and when I described the issue to her, she felt it warrented a call to the surgeons office. I then spoke with the surgeon's nurse, and she asked me to make an appt to come in the next day. She said, "it doesn't sound normal, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's something bad." I go in tonight, and will definitely keep in mind the hematoma thing if the surgeon does not bring it up himself as a possibility. Thanks!

I will update this thread in case someone in the future has the same problem.

[old_before_my_time]

Welcome to the community. I am glad to hear your surgeon removed just the cyst and no organs! It is hard to say what this bulge and tenderness is but one thing that comes to mind is a hematoma, a collection of blood at the surgical site (incision). Sometimes they resolve on their own but sometimes they need to be drained. You should call your surgeon. Let us know what you find out.