Small zit like eruption on sternum wound

[gregjohnsondsm]

Yesterday my wife notices a small red swollen area on the lower part of my full sternotomy wound. I am 3 months post op and had assumed all the issues were over. I have read a number of people here who have had debridements and 'tunneling' of fluid from the wound even after a few months. The thing looked like a large zit and when squeezed a small white head came out along with a small amount of clear fluid, then a little blood. Is it something to have checked or are zits etc common even directly on the wound? It seems, feels like and looks like a normal large zit. It seems I have been having more of these since being on the medications after surgery. Metropolol and Coumadin.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

on the one hand I'd like to reassure you and ease your concerns, but on the other I'd also take it seriously and show it to your Dr.

Without anything to make any judgement call (no picture) its impossible to say anything I would be inclined towards "its a pimple".

What I'll say is that for me, on the day I was to be released from hospital after surgery I bent over to pick up my shirt and a small jet of liquid shot out of the top of my wound. It was mostly clear with traces of old blood. I was kept in a few days longer waiting for the results of a swab and blood tests and was released. The wound to my experience with this never settled as nice as I'd come to expect (from the last 2), but as my memory is hazy that far back (and I didn't take notes) I assumed I was just healing differently because I was 20 years older.

When it first became 'obvious' that there was something wrong it was not "subtle" or (to my mind) unclear ... it stuck out (as we say in Australia) like prawns eyes.

If you have anything at this stage its likely to be propioniacnes bacteria, that's the well known (not to cardiac surgeons however) 'smouldering' bacteria in prosthetic surgery. If it develops to some thing serious (and by serious it looks like this)

started as what appeared to be an impression of the top bone of my sternum, within 2 days was like this

and by another 4 days like this

so if you have something more serious than a pimple you'll not have too long to wait to find out

Keep us posted, and if you feel inclined pop up a photo here

(*note: my photo's are on flickr and I past in the url here between bbcode image tags )

Best Wishes



you wish to bring this up to the Dr

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Test photo embedding

<br />
<img class="bbcode-attachment" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/133790629@N08/shares/1514o8" border="0" alt="" /><br />
<br />

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Test again
https://​www.flickr.com/photos/133790629@N08/shares/1514o8

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Test photo embedding

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/133790629@N08/18285922989" title="15e604f2-c0f0-40f3-871b-99edb49a1ffb by Greg Johnson, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/256/18285922989_9ec53d03ff_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="15e604f2-c0f0-40f3-871b-99edb49a1ffb"></a>

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Finally got it. Here is a picture of the small eruption.

15e604f2-c0f0-40f3-871b-99edb49a1ffb by gjohnsondsm, on Flickr

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Better size
IMG_2580 by Greg Johnson, on Flickr

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Man, I am working up a sweat getting these pictures embedded. Not so sure about the Flickr program,the Flickr Uploader is very buggy.

 

[pellicle]

looks like a zit to me .. there seems to be no swelling around the area and while its in an unfortunate spot I've had a few in the middle of scar tissue too

breath easy I say

 

[pellicle]

ps: the flickr uploader (distinct desktop application, not web tool) is not bad, but is limited to a number of images at once ... something like 50 IIRC

the web based app (like so many) is highly browser dependent.
Nice lookin bike too btw

the rest of your scar looks enviably flat and happy. After having been cut through twice (making a total of 3 cuts, not counting debridements) mine looks more "arty"

 

[tom in MO]

I had the same thing happen to me. When the nurse at rehab asked how things were going, I told I felt like a teenager since I got a zit on my chest. She wanted to see it. I showed it. No comment.. I got a few more over the first year and now at year three I got one a few months ago. They looked like and behave like zits.

 

[Jkm7]

Seeing three weeks have passed, did you have a doctor look at the 'zit'? Hope all is well.

 

[Ron Wyatt]

Your thingy looks just like mine. Has yours gotten better/gone away since you posted your photos? I am five months post op, and mine looks just like that.

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

Ron, Yes it has gotten better. It went away after about 1 week. Sure had me worried there for a while - it was the biggest zit I have ever had and it's location of course wasn't desirable. Everything is fine now, but as you have read above make sure you keep an eye on it, along with your doctor if it doesn't act like a normal zit. I did have my doctor look at it and they simply shrugged it off.