Hard lump beside naval after Tummy Tuck / Muscle Repair / Hernia Repair

[trueboo]

Hello,
I am a 42 year old female who had an extended tummy tuck, with muscle repair and incisional hernia repair with mesh four weeks ago today.  The original incision that had the hernia was from my open gastric bypass which I had done almost four years ago. I have had a weight loss of almost 100 lbs and have had no complications at all besides  the need for an iron transfusion a couple of times.  The tummy tuck seems to have also gone great, I am healing very well, some swelling above my incision, but that's to be expected. I do however have a very firm lump that pops out near my belly button when I stand up, you can feel the firmness when I lay down as well, but it pops out the size of maybe a walnut when I stand up. When touched it is not exactly painful, but it feels a bit weird, tight, and i can feel the sensations all through my abdomen. When I asked my dr about it at my first post op visit at one week, he said that since my fascia was not in good shape.. and he sort of trailed off. So I am thinking it is either that old naval not quite matched up with new one.. since when i lay down it seems to be exactly aligned but then pops up above it when I get up. Or... it's where dr pulled the muscles together and also sewed up the fascia and bunched it up almost like a seam, hoping if thats the case that it will flatten some when the internal stitches disolve and swelling comes down entirely, or perhaps a new incisional hernia that has developed near new belly button.. any ideas? It is uncomfortable if i lean against another person or a countertop, and it is unsightly in my newly flatter tummy. Also, the dr did shave down the xiphoid process so it wouldnt protrude after the tummy tuck, in case that is relevant. But that is a few inches above i believe.  If you have any ideas or if you think it might be fixable, I'd appreciate any input. I will see my surgeon on thursday.  By the way, my original bypass surgeon is the one who did my latest surgery as well. He is very experienced. I hate that this lump is there!
Thanks so much in advance!
~Sue

[trueboo]

Hi Kindd, ...your name suits you :-)
I appreciate your response and I think the idea to get an ultrasound is a good one.  I just wanted to add that the bump was there from the very start, so it definately wasnt related to heavy lifting or something I did post op. It is also quite hard. I just pray it's fixable.. because even through the abdominal binder i'm wearing it is very uncomfortable to bump it.  Thank you again and God bless you too.  I'll post what it is when I find out to help others.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?

Hernia repairs do have a tendency to come undone under stress such as excessive heavy lifting, excessive coughing and muscle weakness.

It can be a case of recurrent hernia or a case of bowel perforation in the mesh or bowel obstruction.

Pls get an ultrasound whole abdomen done to see what is the cause of this lump.

Take care and do keep us posted on how you are doing and what are the reports of the ultrasound.

Regards and God bless.