cyst excision

[shugaplum]

Hello everyone! As my surgery is getting closer (3 weeks from today!) I've been doing more and more reading and research online and I had a few questions. (And apparently a long story as well...)

About 18 months ago I had surgery to remove 2 cysts growing in the joint. It was before the arthritis had become very aggressive and it was in hope that it would reduce the existing pain and buy me more time before I would need the RTHR. The surgery was very difficult- The surgeon changed his decision on the incision as I went into the OR and there were additional problems that turned my 2 and half hour surgery into a 4 hour surgery. I was under general and the hospital recovery from that was less than pleasant. I have a 7 inch scar on the front on my hip and a fair amount of scar tissue. He also had to move a nerve and I sitll have some numbness right on the scar itself. As I read more about the RTHR I'm surprised that all the basic recovery things (toilet seat, etc.) were not applied to my first surgery. I had a lot of physical difficulties in healing and it took a full 6 months to not walk with a very noticeable limp.

Now on to the questions (thanks for bearing with the epic intro):
-will the scar tissue affect my 2nd surgery?
-has anyone experienced numbness in their recovery?...is it something normal I should anticipate again?
-what did you find the most valuable thing to do or have in your recovery?
-I prefer the spinal instead of general this time around...do I still need to request anti-nausea medication with it?
-Did anyone else go through this cyst excision surgery? What was your recovery like?

Thats it for now...as I think of more I'll post them!
Thanks!
~Shuga (Amanda)

 

[Josephine]

-will the scar tissue affect my 2nd surgery?

Generally speaking, if the surgeon uses the same approach (anterior, posterior) he will try to go through the old scar but it's not always possible so can't say more than that.

-has anyone experienced numbness in their recovery?...is it something normal I should anticipate again?

There is always some numbness around a scar. Superficial nerves criss-cross all over the body and it's nigh on impossible to make any sizeable incision that will miss them all. And, unlike the major nerves, they tend to be almost as individual as finger prints so the surgeon can't even plan on where they might be!

-I prefer the spinal instead of general this time around...do I still need to request anti-nausea medication with it?

Most definitely. People still get post-operative nausea and vomitting after a spinal though not as often. Besides which, if the anaesthetist has problems trying to do the spinal, there is always a (remote) chance he might have to abandon it and do a general anyway.