Hematoma?

[JenniferO]

I brought back a souvenir from my surgical experience which looks like a huge black bruising around one of the surgical IV sites in my arm apparently created by blood leaking from the vein after the IV was removed. When I showed it to the nurse at the hospital, I thought he called it a hematoma but when I tried to look up more information on the internet that term didn't seem to fit. The coloration is gradually breaking up, but the arm continues to be very painful and the flesh burns.

It is similar to some bruising I had in the groin area when I had the heart catheterization a couple of months ago, but is more painful.

Can anyone tell me the proper terminology for this and what if anything helps it clear up or feel better?

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Jennifer
Welcome home!

Sounds like the blew your vein. This can cause a slight hematoma, especially if they had you on temporary heparin or Coumadin after surgery. Will you be taking Coumadin for a few months?

Let me add...you mentioned burning. Have it checked out. It could be infected.

Keep us posted.

 

[JenniferO]

No Coumadin - Cosgrove doesn't like to use it.

I don't think it's infected but the skin is real tender over the purple areas. I have to keep the arm straight because when I bend it (the IV was at mid-arm right on the inside crook of the elbow) it really aches.

At Cleveland, they seemed unconcerned about it. Said several of the patients had the same thing.

Overall it's slowly improving but it sure is slow.

 

[Jessica_B.]

Jennifer --
Welcome home and I am happy to see you posting again !

Yeah, recovery is slow at first. Be patient, Rome wasn't built overnight (hmmm, this is the time when my family could tell you endless stories of how impatient I can get ).

Anyway, sounds like they missed the vein! The burning sounds suspicious... If it doesn't get better in a few days you should go to the doctor with it! You don't need a wound infection on top of everything!

/Jessica

 

[Ross]

Get your Doctor near home to take a look. Is there any discharge from the puncture site? It sounds as if it may be infected or still bleeding, but you say that it appears to be getting a little better?

I'd still have Doc check it.

You ought to see my groin! I had many hernia surgeries and I'll be darned if they didn't use that area, and push on the plugs to stop the bleeding. Ouch, I hurt! Talk about Black and Blue.

Here is a link that describes what a hematoma is:
http://www.cool.co.cr/usr/fournier/hematoma.html

 

[hensylee]

Hematoma is gathering of blood in one area, from a blow or other injury. Must've been one heckuva IV. Sometimes the IV itself can leak under the skin (there's a word for it but can't recall it right this min-alldowick would know it) and cause very much pain and depending on how much gets under the skin, swelling. If that happens, it takes a good month for the body to absorb it. And it remains painful till it's all absorbed. If you continue to have pain/soreness/swelling, please have your local dr have a looksee. You, and we, will feel better about it. God bless

 

[JenniferO]

The coloration is fading fairly rapidly now, so I'm sure it's getting better rather than going the other way.

They wanted to draw blood out of the same arm yesterday in the emegency room (more on that in another post) but I told them to use my other arm so as not to add more injury.

 

[Nancy]

Glad your arm is healing. When I had gall bladder surgery, they put the IV in the crook of my arm. It was the absolutely most uncomfortable place to put it. Even though it was strapped to a board to keep it straight, every movement cause my arm to ache like a sore tooth. It took me a long time to get that wound healed too.

One of the nurses told me they try never to put an IV site there if they can help it. The phlebotomist did it.

 

[hensylee]

And a phlebotamist oughta know better.