Yesterday (August 8, 2007) I underwent liposuction surgery on the "lump" in my left leg. This turned out to be a large hematoma (accumulation of blood in an area just below the original tumor & surgical site). It seems that this area of my leg always had some level of swelling from the time of the first surgery, and perhaps there was a small hematoma from the beginning which then accumulated much more fluid when the chemotherapy drugs where changed (second type of chemo tended to cause fluids to cross membranes more easily). Apparently, this type of problem is fairly common with radical leg surgery. Such surgery tends to leave slight openings in surrounding tissue, which will fill up with something (either fat deposits, serum, or blood). It is probably for the best, to finally clean this up.
Today, a post-operative evaluation by the surgeon was positive, with instruction on how to care for the wound area. The leg will be kept wrapped for the next few weeks, with a drainage tube in place to ensure all fluids are removed. The key is to keep it drained, and encouarge the surrounding mucles to adhere and close the opening permanently.
As always, being a cancer patient leaves some area of uncertainty. My surgeon also removed a small, thin, 'leaf-like' structure from the hematoma. It was not a tumor, and only a few cells thick; but was sent for pathology evaluation and are likely sarcoma cells. The main issue for us to deal with now is arrest nodule growth in the lungs, and any drug strategy which would do this will also take care of cells in other parts of the body. So the main issue with my leg is to simply get the area completely drained and healed. I hope to go on long walks again after a few weeks.
BRENT
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3 comments:
Dear Dr. Brent
Its very encouraging to read the progress in the blog posted on 9th August. Hope things will get fine soon. May God bless you. All the best for early recovery.
Faujdar
dear brent
meant to write earlier but was away for some time.
glad to read the newer treatment is less toxic and less troublesome. also good to hear that the hematoma/seroma has been drained and you will soon be out on ur walks again. i feel good compression of the drained area while walking is the key to prevent recollection. will keep in touch.
with love, best wishes and prayers
christo
Brent,
You may not remember me but I was your colleague at Purdue in the mid-90's. I was stunnned to hear about your cancer. Sheila and I will be thinking about you.
John
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