wide excision question

[bpowers]

I had a WLE on my right thigh inside near the knee. Margins & SLN all came back clear! After 1 week, I was allowed to bend my knee. I pulled open a section of the incision so I was back to straight leg for another week. Now I am allowed to bend my knee again, but the skin is so tight, it doesn’t want to bend. I can’t even drive! Any suggestions to get this skin to stretch. I still have one small area leaking fluid/blood so I don’t want to put lotion there. Surgeon was a not worried about the leaking. Any suggestions please? I hate depending on others to drive me places!

[Catherine Poole]

I wonder if you needed to have a skin graft to the area. I would consult a plastic surgeon about this. Leaking may mean infection. Get another opinion.

[bpowers]

My surgeon is a plastic surgeon. He did a rotation flap.

[washoegal]

You need to ask you surgeon for some exercises. Though from what you have posted if it has only been two weeks, it may be a little early yet.

[melac]

I also had one done by a plastic surgeon and it leaked for a few weeks too and was totally normal. He left a little opening at one end for it to drain. One of my wide excisions was on my shoulder, which is a different joint than yours but it was almost a month before I felt like the integrity of the skin was enough to bend and stretch almost normally again. I am about 10 months post-op now and the skin still gets itchy and sore from time to time. My doc said it could take a year before it heals to the point where I don’t notice it any more.

[bpowers]

Thanks for the suggestions &I info. I feel a little better knowing it’s not abnormal. I am finally able to bend enough to safely drive. Steps are still a challenge, but I’m getting there.

[Author]

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