A New Complication

[JohnnyBorg]

Hey Elbow - I’m sorry to hear about this complication and am rooting for you. Hoping that the aspiration does the trick and you can just move forward. You’re in great hands with Hakky, it sounds like he’s on top of it and it’s great that there’s a game plan, even in the worst case scenario.

Fingers crossed that the aspiration nips this in the bud and you can put it behind you man!! Keep us updated.

Thanks! I did some research and found for seromas it sometimes takes multiple aspirations to resolve things. So if the seroma recurs after the aspiration I might push Hakky for a few more aspirations to see if that solves it. I really don’t want to go under the knife again if it can at all be avoided.

100% man, I think that’s a great idea. Curious - did you and Hakky talk about what would happen if you just left it alone? Is the risk that even though it’s benign and not infected, that it could become a more serious issue later?

[dan_bionic]

Hey Elbow - I’m sorry to hear about this complication and am rooting for you. Hoping that the aspiration does the trick and you can just move forward. You’re in great hands with Hakky, it sounds like he’s on top of it and it’s great that there’s a game plan, even in the worst case scenario.

Fingers crossed that the aspiration nips this in the bud and you can put it behind you man!! Keep us updated.

Thanks! I did some research and found for seromas it sometimes takes multiple aspirations to resolve things. So if the seroma recurs after the aspiration I might push Hakky for a few more aspirations to see if that solves it. I really don’t want to go under the knife again if it can at all be avoided.

100% man, I think that’s a great idea. Curious - did you and Hakky talk about what would happen if you just left it alone? Is the risk that even though it’s benign and not infected, that it could become a more serious issue later?

It can take ages until it goes away from itself, better to drain it/aspirate it, so it solves quicker,
Dan

[Ephi82]

I’m pulling for you! Keep positive and know that your choice to use a very experienced surgeon will pay off. It’s tough having a complication like this, but you know you’re in good hands and a plan is in place to keep you right on track.

[ElbowRoom]

100% man, I think that’s a great idea. Curious - did you and Hakky talk about what would happen if you just left it alone? Is the risk that even though it’s benign and not infected, that it could become a more serious issue later?

He did say that I could just leave it alone since it’s not infected. He did confirm it would likely be there a long time, maybe forever. I’m a little uncomfortable with that, simply because a pocket of stagnant fluid seems ripe for later bacterial growth. I think I’d at least like to get it drained once, so that we can culture the fluid and confirm no bacterial growth. After that, if it returns I can decide if I want to have it drained again, just leave it be, or have the surgery.

[ElbowRoom]

It can take ages until it goes away from itself, better to drain it/aspirate it, so it solves quicker,
Dan

Thanks Dan, it’s good to get an objective medical opinion on this. Do you agree with Hakky’s assessment that once drained the chance of recurrence is 10-20%, or do you think it’s higher than that?

[ElbowRoom]

I’m pulling for you! Keep positive and know that your choice to use a very experienced surgeon will pay off. It’s tough having a complication like this, but you know you’re in good hands and a plan is in place to keep you right on track.

Thanks. I’m concerned but not freaking out. I’m comfortable with the low risks of the needle drain, but I’m not really happy with the risk profile of the surgical option. I’m going to do everything possible to avoid that, unless the cultured fluid comes back as bacterial in which case of course that needs to be addressed.

[NYCGay]

Of course this must be stressful, but the odds are on your side. So according to Dr. Hakky, there's at most a 20% risk that draining won't be enough and that you will need surgery. The surgery carries a 1% risk of infection. So the risk that you will need surgery, and that the surgery will result in an infection is 0.2 x 0.01 = 0.002. Meaning that out of 1,000 guys in your position, 2 would be expected to end up with an infection. Even if what you found in your research, that it's a 50% risk draining won't solve the issue, it's only 5 guys of out the 1,000 in your situation that would eventually end up with an infection.

Statistics may be a week comfort when you're worried about something going on in your body, but most likely, this will be resolved without complications.

I wish you a quick and successful resolution.

[dan_bionic]

It can take ages until it goes away from itself, better to drain it/aspirate it, so it solves quicker,
Dan

Thanks Dan, it’s good to get an objective medical opinion on this. Do you agree with Hakky’s assessment that once drained the chance of recurrence is 10-20%, or do you think it’s higher than that?

I agree with Hakky as I know from breast implant surgery, if a seroma occurs, I always aspirate it once to twice and it disappears then , so it's an opinion of an experienced surgeon like Hakky and it's valid.
All the best
Dan

[cbinspok]

Ahhh geeez Elbow, sorry
Its probably nothing, my bet 99.9 % its Gods little reminder to be happy and thankful.
Keep us in the loop..