Bump on top of my incision

[chaconne]

I am 1 week post op and my incision pokes out at the top and drops down near the bottom, like a narrow ramp. The top pokes out and is more sore than the rest. I can see this being an annoyance. The surgeon used internal dissolvable stiches rather than external "zipper" style stitching.

It looks kind of like a Cardassian chest, for those familiar with Star Trek.

Anyone else experience this, will it ever go away?

 

[Duffey]

I had a bump at the top that took longer to heal and was still tender long after the rest of the incision felt fine. It was explained to me that the bump is caused by where they put the saw to start the sternum splitting.

 

[Lynlw]

Yes it is VERY common and most likely will go away. Actually it is so common they even mention it in the "what to expect after heart surgery" pdf the Heart surgeon society put together that is in one of the stickies at the top of the post op forum http://www.sts.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/whattoexpect.pdf

 

[Greg a]

As already pointed out VERY common and it does go away with time .....maybe peek at the TOOTS threads

 

[Jkm7]

The bump is so common and just about all of us are concerned about it that it amazes me surgeons don't tell us in advance to expect that swelling. It would be so easy to mention it and save us that extra bit of concern. Only those who have been through a previous OHS with sternotomy seem to be aware it is normal and will go away on its own. Most of the surgeons cut the sternum higher than they actually cut the skin to minimize the scar at the top near our necks. That causes this swelling when they put there fingers beneath the skin in that area.

 

[Mentu]

No one told me about the bump at the top of the incision, either, so I was also troubled at finding it. Perhaps the question should be asked

"Is there anyone out there with a standard sternal incision that did not have a bump at the top?"

That said, it will fade along with the tenderness; it is just one of the little undocumented features of heart surgery.

Larry

 

[chaconne]

Thanks everyone!

This is very helpful and encouraging.

-Steve

 

[escargome]

No one told me about the bump at the top of the incision, either, so I was also troubled at finding it. Perhaps the question should be asked

"Is there anyone out there with a standard sternal incision that did not have a bump at the top?"

That said, it will fade along with the tenderness; it is just one of the little undocumented features of heart surgery.

Larry

I didn't have a bump at the top of the incision. In fact it has been 3 years and in truth there is a small indentation at the top of my incision area. So maybe like belly buttons you might get an outey or an iney.

 

[bradvo]

Tacoma General Hospital made mention of this bump as one of the things to expect, over time it would soften and go away.

Brad

 

[normofthenorth]

Mine has kind of reversed in the 11+ months post-op. I started with the big bump at the very top. But now the top ~60% of my incision is the smooth semi-invisible part, and it's the bottom part that's redder and more pronounced. Fortunately, that's the part that's most covered with chest hair (not to mention clothes!), so it's mostly my little secret.

 

[Moose228]

I also had a large bump atop my incision after surgery. I was informed that the reason for the bump is that is where my particular surgeon finishes wiring up the chest, and this is where the excess wire and wrapping ends up, thus causing a bump to appear. It was not painful in any way, just felt weird, I am 4+ weeks post-op and no more bump at all. Best of luck!

 

[Boston Tiger]

It looks kind of like a Cardassian chest, for those familiar with Star Trek.

I see I'm not the only one who felt a bit like a Cardassian for a month or so after surgery, especially with the nice bruise I had from the neck line! It all fades in time. I've past the year and a half mark, and I'm nowhere close to being TOOTS worthy anymore. (Oh, how I wish I had found this site around the time of my procedure!)

My bump now is well below my scar, and came about because I didn't think about the change in my metabolism from the medicine they put me on. Oh well, I'll just have to work that away over time.

 

[chaconne]

Thanks for the posts Moose, Tiger,

My bump has gotten smaller after 5 weeks (now almost 6 weeks post-op) but it's still there. I think I could live with it the way it is now, however.

I was just watching some re-runs of Star Trek TNG and saw some Cardassians. It seems that their millitary uniforms have the bump on the chest, but I've never seen one bare-chested to know if it actually accommodates their anatomy

 

[carolinemc]

You must be a trekie, knowing what a cardassian is. I am one also, just not into buying all the crazy stuff they sell. Glad the bump is doing better. I had one on the top more than the bottom. Just always glad when it goes down. I had repair at eight years old and it did the same thing then also. So normal but scarry. Hugs for today.

 

[honeybunny]

Resurrecting this years old post, which I found doing a Google search, to hear from current members on how long it took for the sternum bump to go away. I was not surprised to see it but thought it would have disappeared by 8 weeks post op.

 

[river-wear]

17 months post-op and I'm still waiting, but not expecting a miracle. I have two hard lumps (wires I guess) under a keloid. The keloid flattened a bit after a couple of cortisone shots and now I'm wearing a silicone scar sheet that seems to be working. The sheets didn't work before the cortisone. I'll be happier when the redness fades. For now I put a little makeup on it so it doesn't draw attention in a v-neck shirt.

 

[Mentu]

Hi, It's been awhile since I was in this space, however, I saw the note about your "Bump". Mine took over six months to disappear. As for the mention that the bump has something to do with wires, that's certainly not true for me. My sternum was closed with a set of Talons so I have no wires but I did have a knot above the upper end of the incision. At 6 years, it has been sometime since there was any color in my scar. I can feel a sort of valley in the tissue beneath the scar but otherwise, I am unaware of it.

Larry

 

[honeybunny]

Thanks, Larry. That helps put it perspective.

 

[QuincyRunner]

It has been 4 years since my surgery and the bump is here to stay. It is obvious to me, and to my cardiologist, that it is where the wires are twisted together at the top. Plus I am thin chested, which makes it more pronounced. It doesn't bother me except when my cat steps on it while I am lying down - or when I get a "chest bump" from some young whippersnapper who doesn't want to give me a traditional hug. I have thought about getting the wires removed but have been advised that unless they bother me a lot the risk of infection and/or bleeding probably outweigh the benefit.