old stitch caused swelling?

[james e]

Two weeks ago I had some swelling that covered my BAHA abutment. I applied some ointment that quickly brought the swelling down...happy camper. Just two days ago, I was rubbing the area that had been swollen, and an old stitch that must have been working its way out, surfaced and fell out. The very small opening has already scabbed over and is healing. I had the surgery in July 2010. Anyone else have a similar story?

[leapyrtwins]

Interesting story, James.  This didn't happen to me, but I had a screw from my AN surgery that was popping through my skin near my BAHA site that my doc had to surgically remove.  Very small procedure, some lidocaine, a screwdriver, a few jokes between the doc and I, and the rest is history.

I'm glad to hear that you're already healing and that there was some reason behind the swelling near your abutment.

Jan

[lori67]

Yes, I've had a few rebel stitches that didn't want to dissolve too.  Very irritating little buggers, but once they're out, the area usually settles down nicely.  Hopefully this is what was causing your swelling and now that the stitch is gone, everything will be just fine!

And I think Jan just admitted she had a screw loose...   

Lori

[Sam Rush]

My BAHA site didn't heal well for one year, until a dermatologist pulled out a stubborn retained stitch.

[james e]

Jan, did your doctor drink the screwdriver, or use one to tighten your loose screw?

[leapyrtwins]

James, you amuse me 

Neither.  He used his screwdriver to remove the screw - and he very kindly sent me home with that souvenir.

Truth be told, he probably thought I was a little crazy when I asked to keep it, but I explained that I come from a long line of wacky people.  I reinforced that story by telling him that my older brother actually has my father's hip bones (he's had hip replacement surgery).  True story; think it got a chuckle out of my doc, which was my goal 

Somewhere on this Forum I posted pictures of the screw that was removed from my head; it's amazing how tiny it is.  When it was under my skin and bugging the heck out of me it felt like a boulder.

Jan

[opp2]

I have had this experience with 'dissolving' stitches. Not in my head mind you. The first experience was with my wisdom teeth removal, then when my first baby was born. Now I tell the docs- no dissolving stitches...they don't dissolve in my body for some reason. Both times I've had to have the stitches removed at the clinic.

[dalern]

I ended up pulling out a number of my "dissolving" stitches after my abutment was places.  I would feel these little buggers poking out, and they were long enough to grab.  I removed a number of them!  So much for dissolving stitches!
~Dale

[james e]

Mine was not poking out but I could feel a hard spot under my skin for a long time, and just thought it was part of the  surgery. Glad it is all over now!