mass on sternum

[kbheart]

I have a hard bump about the size of a large marble on my sternum that is causing me a lot of pain when I lift, push, or pull things. Has anyone else had these bumps after OHS. My surgery was 3 1/2 years ago and the scar was always flat. I'm scheduled to see a general surgeon later this week but was wondering if it could be just scar tissue or somehow related to the OHS. My primary care doctor didn't want to do anything to it because of the scar tissue in the area.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or ideas!

 

[Freddie]

Sorry no thoughts or ideas here Kris, but it does warrant an x-ray to find out what it really is.

When did you start noticing this pain and "bump"?

 

[kbheart]

Back in October I was having a lot of GERD and chest pain so I went to the ED. They said it was just the GERD and sent me home. Last week I noticed the bump. The chest pain comes and goes but is especially bad when the GERD acts up.

 

[Freddie]

Is this a soft or hard 'bump'? Where on the sternum is it located? Could it be an inflamed muscle of some kind due to GERD?

 

[kbheart]

It's a hard bump that doesn't go away. Sometimes there is swelling around it (that might be causing the GERD symtoms to be worse). It's about half way down the sternum.

 

[Lily]

You don't suppose it is a sternum wire? I don't know how likely that is this far post-op though.

 

[kbheart]

It's definitely much bigger than the sternum wires that I can feel.

 

[Freddie]

You know the best thing to do is:
when in doubt, get it checked out.
Sooner the better....Santa is coming

 

[njean]

I don't have any answers for you but I sure do want to wish you well with whatever is going on with your sterum.

Let us know what the drs find out.

Take care.

 

[hall]

I agree, better get it checked out and be safe. Let us know.

 

[hensylee]

could maybe be a wire that has irritated and formed scar tissue around it? as the rest have said, get it checked out. and keep us posted. blessins........

 

[Philip B]

Wire

Wire

I know a woman here locally who had a couple of sternum wires break several years after OHS. The wire ends produced some painful lumps. She was pretty unhappy until she could get the wires removed.

I'm sure a visit with your doctor will resolve your question.

-Philip

 

[kbheart]

I'll know more after I see the surgeon on Thursday. Thanks for your advice and I'll give you an update later this week.

 

[kbheart]

Saw the surgeon today. She said it was probably just scar tissue and she could remove it. I was relieved when she said that she usually doesn't have anyone go off of their coumadin for the surgery. She's going to do it at the hospital rather than her office since I am on the coumadin but it should all be over in 30 minutes. I hope this does the trick. She said there was a 20% chance that it could grow back. It's strange how scar tissue could continue to grow over 3 years after the open heart surgery. Thanks for your thoughts and comments!

 

[Cris N]

Maybe it's like growing a pearl

 

[hall]

Best of luck. Thanks for the update.

 

[Johan]

Kris, Hope the surgery is not too painful, best of luck!

 

[kbheart]

Thanks everyone!

 

[duncanjo]

i had the same thing happen to me after 1.5 yr post op, i started working out not to heavy then i notice this bump size of a marble at the bottom of my scar sternum. i thought it was a wire that broke a rubbing against my inside but it wasnt seen a dr. he didnt have any big concerns if it got worse come back he said i think it has something to do with the muscle part from pushing and pulling.

 

[kbheart]

Hmmm...that's interesting. Did it ever go away? My bump was about the size of a large shooter marble but now it's getting smaller and they may cancel the surgery to remove it. My surgeon wants to wait until closer to the surgery date to make the decision.