Plug site groin hematoma lump

I’m waiting for an advise reply from my NP...but I am curious if anyone got a hard pearl like painful lump after their ablation?

I had pain the first time for a month after the index but never a hard lump with pain. I know eventually it will dissolve but I am wondering if there was a clot risk if it loosens experience from you folks after your ablation? Just a census out of curiosity.

I’m actually limping. Minor minor complication I’m sure but just curious —I am not seeking medical advice—how many days after the ablatio did folks here in average apply pressure to the site when sitting or upon standing after their ablation? I don’t remember from the index.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/2020 08:46PM by susan.d.

Hi Susan,

You should not need to apply any pressure to the catheter access site in the two groin areas at this stage after your LAA-iso ablation. It's not unusual to have a minor temporary 'pearl-like' lump where the groin punctures and Vascade plug were used.

A mild to moderate hematoma is typically no big deal either from the two femoral vein groin sites and typically any superficial bruising that might occur is entirely self-limiting and tends to disappear within a couple weeks.

On much more rare occasions there have been patients whose minor hematoma became more significant and then rarely have required modest intervention to insure any sub-surface bleeding or clotting beneath the groin 'knot' or lump, is quelled and fully resolved, but even that type of minor intervention is very rarely needed, indeed.

Best wishes,
Shannon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/2020 08:57PM by Shannon.

Thank you Shannon for your reply-considering how much pain your hand is going through now.

As I said, I was not seeking medical advice but a curious census from those before me. I just got my np reply to continue another day of pressure to the groin site.

Stay well. Good luck with your surgery.

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Shannon
Hi Susan,
You should not need to apply any pressure to the catheter access site in the two groin areas at this stage after your LAA-iso ablation.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2020 12:34AM by susan.d.

I ended up with small pearl-like lumps at each insertion site after all but one ablation. They lasted for months, weren't painful, and eventually disappeared on their own.

I also experienced a large hematoma after my first ablation that left me limping and taking pain meds for a month because it was pressing against my femoral nerve. But that happened because of a cardioversion a day or two after the ablation (cardioversions produce strong muscle contractions, so it's a lot like lifting something heavy.) Strangely, that one didn't leave a little lump, but it sure taught me the difference between a big hematoma and a little one.

Anyway, I'm going to second Shannon's advice that you should not apply pressure to the insertion site. That little lump is just a small amount of blood that leaked in the soft tissue surrounding your femoral veins. It's not within the veins themselves, so it poses absolutely no risk of embolizing somewhere else. It's going nowhere.

Thanks Carey for contributing to my poll. I listen to Natale’s np. IMHO everyone should listen to their EP’s advice who is familiar with their ablation they performed.

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Shannon
Susan,

I strongly urge you to follow Dr. Natale’s specific instructions for you, via his Los Roblos NP Kelley, during the first few weeks post ablation.

Cheers!
Shannon

I am happy you posted because I have had a nagging curiosity question. Kind of two.
You reiterated a story a few times about how you went biking 50 miles in a very challenging terrain after 3 days post ablation. I used to bike. Going uphill was standing off my seat pumping the pedals. That must have had hurt your plug sites something awful after three days post ablation! Yeah?

Secondly, how on earth did you observe the ten pound weight limit restriction while either getting your bike out of your garage, perhaps lifting it off a vertical hook maybe...?...and then place it in your car without lifting? Did you get a volunteer? I ask that question because I wasn’t allowed to push my 4 wheel suitcase after my ablation. Same principle of pushing your bike out of your garage. It’s still pushing weight. Plus with biking, you must had taken a break. It’s 50 miles. My kickstand never 100% worked so that means it’s possible you bent over to lift your bike off the ground. What if you fell off your bike? Did you have a plan B on how to lift back your bike while observing the weight restrictions?

Nagging probability questions.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2020 01:25AM by susan.d.

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Carey
I ended up with small pearl-like lumps at each insertion site after all but one ablation. They lasted for months, weren't painful, and eventually disappeared on their own.

Same for me. Each time a small lump, no pain, disappeared a couple weeks later.

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susan.d
I am happy you posted because I have had a nagging curiosity question. Kind of two.
You reiterated a story a few times about how you went biking 50 miles in a very challenging terrain after 3 days post ablation. I used to bike. Going uphill was standing off my seat pumping the pedals. That must have had hurt your plug sites something awful after three days post ablation! Yeah?

No, didn't hurt a bit. If it had hurt, I wouldn't have been doing it and the EP wouldn't have okayed it. You don't use your leg muscles during cycling like you do lifting something. Notice that there's not prohibition on climbing stairs, for example, and that's the same muscle use as pedaling a bike.

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Secondly, how on earth did you observe the ten pound weight limit restriction while either getting your bike out of your garage, perhaps lifting it off a vertical hook maybe...?...and then place it in your car without lifting? Did you get a volunteer? I ask that question because I wasn’t allowed to push my 4 wheel suitcase after my ablation. Same principle of pushing your bike out of your garage. It’s still pushing weight. Plus with biking, you must had taken a break. It’s 50 miles. My kickstand never 100% worked so that means it’s possible you bent over to lift your bike off the ground. What if you fell off your bike? Did you have a plan B on how to lift back your bike while observing the weight restrictions?

Simple: I don't have to lift my bike to ride it. I roll it out of the garage, get on, and ride. Sure, there were breaks, but my bike doesn't even have a kickstand and there's no reason I'd need to be lifting it while riding. I was with a group of friends so if for some reason I did need to lift it I could just ask one of them for help.

Not sure why someone would tell you that you couldn't push a suitcase on wheels. I guess they assumed that pushing it meant you'd also be lifting it (stairs and such), but the restriction isn't so stringent that you can't even push a wheeled suitcase. Just don't try to lift it. That's the one and only restriction.

I have a little pea sized (initially) bump in arm where they put the tap. It seems like it is getting smaller. Now bb sized.

Minor nit compared to all the other crap going on.

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Carey
my bike doesn’t even have a kickstand.

You are fortunate and lucky. Last night my husband wanted to clean out my koi pond’s skimmer pit and he lifted and pulled out a less than 2 pound plastic basket out of the enclosure and didn’t know how to put it back. 3 out of my 4 pond guys can’t either-its tricky. It wasn’t originally installed correctly. So I had to semi swat with knees bent (attempting to apply pressure to my plugs) to drop down the two pound plastic basket at a slight angle to ground level and click it in while keeping the welt door closed. It was a painful plug area experience not to repeat until I’m healed. Same as swatting to pick up something off my floor in the house since I’m instructed by my np to continue groin pressure until tonight.

Isn’t lifting your bike from horizontal to upright when it was on the ground “lifting”? You are essentially pulling the weight of the bike upright. It weighs more than a plastic basket. Kudos. I really am impressed. I wish I was stronger.

NLAMA-I’m sorry you’re index didn’t go as planned. Feel better.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2020 10:55AM by susan.d.

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susan.d
Isn’t lifting your bike from horizontal to upright when it was on the ground “lifting”?

Yes, but I don't lay my bike on the ground. If I get off it, it gets leaned against something, put in a bike rack, or whatever. Way too expensive to be lying on the ground.

Small lump. Yes. Took awhile to go away. At least a month I think.

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keeferbdeefer
Small lump. Yes. Took awhile to go away. At least a month I think.

Thanks.