Swelling and Lumpiness around stitches

[MSJ-2]

Hi there,

I had a Nesbit procedure exactly 3 weeks ago today, and had been due to see the consultant today (took the time off work) only to be told that it was cancelled this morning without a reason given. As I was somewhat relying on this meeting to assuage any feelings of anxiety surrounding the healing process; I'm now kinda freaking out as a result.

The main issue that I'm having is that the 'dissolvable' stitches (I was told) were meant to be gone in roughly 12-14 days, and they're very much still there and look to be causing healing issues of their own. Although the swelling has gone down since the first week, I'm getting a kind of cauliflower effect under my glans where my unusually short foreskin would normally be. I have folds of skin bunching up and some unsightly swelling on the right hand, and underside. The stitching itself is not at all neat, and the level of care given before, during and after has resembled that of a field hospital rather than what you'd expect from a '1st World' facility in London.  

I'm hoping someone can tell me that it will return to looking vaguely normal and I really hope I haven't created another problem by trying to solve the curvature. Though, bad things just seem to happen to me a lot and my natural inclination is to catastrophise in circumstances like this..

Many thanks and good luck to you all.  

[bustedchubb]

I didn't have nesbit, but 16 dot plication, however I was degloved with a circumcisional incision and have the same type of situation you do 19 days after surgery.  Things are healing well and the swell is slowwwwly going down.   I think it's pretty normal.

[MSJ-2]

Thanks for your response dude, hope everything is going well. I similarly had some kind of modified Nesbit (which I can't remember the name of) in which de-gloving was used.

I was definitely panicking initially and you're right, it is pretty normal. Just an update in case anyone reads this and needs a rough idea of recovery; Am now at the 4 week mark.

Swelling seems to have gone down by about 40-50%, the swelling is at it's least visible in the morning (I assume because it's mostly horizontal while sleeping).

Stitches are starting to dissolve and wounds are starting to heal - as of yet; I'm sort of unable to tell whether the surgery has indeed worked or not. I daren't get an erection in case the wounds re-open (I have a moderately large penis which tends to expand quite a lot when erect) but will probably try to at around the 6 week mark.

When flaccid though, it does seem to hang straighter than it used to. Am also getting flashing pains which I believe are supposed to be encouraging signs of new nerve growth.

Will update in a few weeks.

[Daremo]

Swelling around the incision took many weeks to go down and away. 22 weeks after surgery and I'm still tender, but swelling is gone and it looks great. Hardly see a scar. I was nervous about that, but time time time. That's all that's needed for that.

[MSJ-2]

I'm now in a bit of a worried state again. I'm approaching six weeks and decided to purposefully get an erection and ascertain the success of the surgery.

I have a fair amount of what looks like 'Overcorrection'; instead of curving to the left, my penis now has a rainbow like curve from top to bottom and is curving to the right at an angle that while not as bad as pre-surgery, is definitely noticeable and quite disappointing to tell the truth.

I also feel as if the base of the penis has become weakened, and feels as if not attached properly if that makes sense. I've lost roughly 50% sensation which I'm also worried about.

I still hold out hope that this is perhaps normal at this stage but it has given me reason enough to try and see the consultant surgeon before the 3 month mark.  

[sky43diver]

Hi MSJ-2, you are still very early in your recovery. However I would give your consultant a call to discuss and put your mind at rest.
I notice that you are from the UK. As a matter of interest who was your consultant?
Cheers and good luck Ian

[MSJ-2]

Hi sky43diver, thanks for your response.

I've got a call with my GP (who referred me) tomorrow, getting hold of anyone in Urology at the hospital has been nigh impossible and they made a clerical error and cancelled my followup without booking another. I went with the NHS after having previously gone private, but another clerical error had me on the operating table without the requisite scans.

I'm grateful for your reassurance; having had a better look at it today, I can see how the overcorrection to the right could improve - however the new ventral curvature is causing me the most concern, particularly as it now points downwards - my original problem was a 37 degree curve to the left, neither dorsal nor ventral (ie it was straight in that axis) and it's relatively distressing to see a new problem arise.

My Consultant is a Professor Watkin who himself has been great but the bureaucracy that surrounds him, plus the covid situation has meant that the process from referral to surgery has taken nearly two years. I was given little to no information about recovery other than not to have sex for 6 weeks, which is slightly laughable because if sex was difficult before, it would be impossible right now.