Ask a doctor on the topic of Surgery

Swelling after lymph node surgery

June 3, 2016 | 35,00 EUR | answered by Christian Welsch

Good evening,

Last Friday (a week ago) I had a lymph node removed from under my left armpit. It was a painless swelling that my general practitioner recommended be removed as a precaution. The histological examination has been done; everything is benign.

However, I am worried about the wound. On Tuesday, I still had a small, firm swelling (about the size of a 2 euro coin). The surgeon reassured me during the follow-up that everything was fine. I am currently traveling for work and since then the swelling has increased and shows no signs of subsiding. Additionally, I have pain in certain arm positions that radiates to the forearm. Could a nerve be pinched?

I am now worried. I will be back in Germany tomorrow. What could be the cause? Could the swelling be related to flying on Wednesday? Also, since the surgery, I have had a yellowish discoloration of the surrounding skin (it is better visible in the photos than in reality). It has not worsened over the week, but it has not disappeared either. Do you have an explanation for this?

The bruises do not concern me; they are fading more and more.

Thank you in advance for your feedback and kind regards.

Christian Welsch

Dear questioner, this could be a accumulation of wound secretions (seroma) or a bruise in the wound. You should have a doctor look at it after your return. The fact that you have increasing instead of decreasing pain is, in my opinion, not normal. Could the yellow color be from the disinfectant used during the surgery? Regards, Welsch