Over the past few weeks, it seems, I've been getting relatively common things in relatively uncommon places. Coming off from the fishbone story (read here, if you haven't already), I now have something as common as a lipoma in someplace as uncommon as the anteromedial aspect of both knees!
These were so huge that they actually prevented the patient from walking normally, sitting on a regular chair and even going to the washroom! Taking a closer look at the picture will show you that you can barely even see the knee joint. It's almost as if the lipoma's had pushed the knee joint away!
Anyway, an ultrasound and doppler were done to ascertain the feasibility of surgery and whether it would really help. Luckily, both sided did not have major vessels in the lipomatous mass and they were confirmed as lipomas.
The surgery was difficult, took two hours, and required a lot of patience. A large amount of skin was to be sacrificed in order to achieve closure and keep the dead space as minimal as possible. Suction drains were kept for draining the collection which was bound to happen. The surgery went off well and the patient was able to go home on the same evening. The best part is that she walked out of the hospital on her own and by her own admission feeling like the life had come back into her legs, thats how light she was feeling!!
The third day post op dressing revealed no real seroma formation or any degree of contamination or ooze. She came walking to the clinic, walked out, even thought about shopping for a bit before returning to her place of residence. Hopefully, the sutures should be out in a week and she will be absolutely normal.
Would you have been able to walk with these??
Till the next thing that comes in a totally unexpected place!!
4 comments:
Why would someone wait for so long before making a trip to the hospital? This problem could not have crept up overnight?
Ananya - She had this for about 3 years before coming up with the courage for surgery! This happened when she could no longer walk!!
However, no..they could not have come up overnight at this size but yes they could have been much smaller and easier to deal with in the initial stages!
wonder what the psychology is for people waiting until things are totally screwed before going to a doctor that is free anyways.
do you ask them? and if so what is the most common response?
Ananya - What do you mean its free anyway? I think that is one of the problems. No health care in India is free.
An opinion may be free in some cases but most patients feel the fear of visiting a doctor as it might lead to an expense!
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