Surgical Procedure for Stage 1
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Surgical Procedure for Stage 1

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Surgical Procedure for Stage 1

  • Post
    • August 26, 2015 at 7:29 pm
    Elliemae216
    Participant

      Last November I was diagnosed with a Stage 1 melanoma on my back.  The surgeon used local anesthesia, which ended up being extremely painful for me. My insison was 4-5 inches. The shots where horrible and painful, then the removal of the tumor.  Is it routine for this procedure to be under local anesthesia?  If so, I don't think I can endure another….

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        • August 26, 2015 at 8:02 pm
        washoegal
        Participant

          I can't count the number of different biopsies I've had under a local.  Yes it is SOP.  My 3.7 MM was removed under local.  The amout of pain you feel is a combination of you threshold and the location.  I had one removed on the bottom of a toe that almost sent me through the roof.  But I have found if you simply breath deeply through it, you can bear almost anything. 

            • August 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm
            Christine.P
            Participant

              I'm so sorry your procedure was so painful. You might ask about combining local with sedation. You won't be completely out – like with general anesthesia – but it is a lot better. My surgeon always uses both sedation and local if he doesn't feel general is needed and it helps a lot!

              • August 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm
              Christine.P
              Participant

                I'm so sorry your procedure was so painful. You might ask about combining local with sedation. You won't be completely out – like with general anesthesia – but it is a lot better. My surgeon always uses both sedation and local if he doesn't feel general is needed and it helps a lot!

                • August 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm
                Christine.P
                Participant

                  I'm so sorry your procedure was so painful. You might ask about combining local with sedation. You won't be completely out – like with general anesthesia – but it is a lot better. My surgeon always uses both sedation and local if he doesn't feel general is needed and it helps a lot!

                • August 26, 2015 at 8:02 pm
                washoegal
                Participant

                  I can't count the number of different biopsies I've had under a local.  Yes it is SOP.  My 3.7 MM was removed under local.  The amout of pain you feel is a combination of you threshold and the location.  I had one removed on the bottom of a toe that almost sent me through the roof.  But I have found if you simply breath deeply through it, you can bear almost anything. 

                  • August 26, 2015 at 8:02 pm
                  washoegal
                  Participant

                    I can't count the number of different biopsies I've had under a local.  Yes it is SOP.  My 3.7 MM was removed under local.  The amout of pain you feel is a combination of you threshold and the location.  I had one removed on the bottom of a toe that almost sent me through the roof.  But I have found if you simply breath deeply through it, you can bear almost anything. 

                    • August 27, 2015 at 7:55 am
                    stars
                    Participant

                      Hi – yes, all of my wide level excisions were done under local anaesthetic only. I was also thinking that it was a fairly major thing to be awake for.. but for the doctor its fairly stock standard and no big deal. I've had three – two were bearably (psychologically hard to lie there while someone cuts away at you, but physically not painful) and one that was not so good for me – it involved my arm, I had to lie in an awkward position, it seemed to take forever and I bled alot so needed a lot of cautery to stop bleeding which I found distressing. But yes, all local… after the arm I thought 'never again', but the one i had after that was much less painful so don't worry too much. You may never need it, and if you do it might be fine, or you could ask for extra sedation.

                      • August 27, 2015 at 7:55 am
                      stars
                      Participant

                        Hi – yes, all of my wide level excisions were done under local anaesthetic only. I was also thinking that it was a fairly major thing to be awake for.. but for the doctor its fairly stock standard and no big deal. I've had three – two were bearably (psychologically hard to lie there while someone cuts away at you, but physically not painful) and one that was not so good for me – it involved my arm, I had to lie in an awkward position, it seemed to take forever and I bled alot so needed a lot of cautery to stop bleeding which I found distressing. But yes, all local… after the arm I thought 'never again', but the one i had after that was much less painful so don't worry too much. You may never need it, and if you do it might be fine, or you could ask for extra sedation.

                        • August 27, 2015 at 7:55 am
                        stars
                        Participant

                          Hi – yes, all of my wide level excisions were done under local anaesthetic only. I was also thinking that it was a fairly major thing to be awake for.. but for the doctor its fairly stock standard and no big deal. I've had three – two were bearably (psychologically hard to lie there while someone cuts away at you, but physically not painful) and one that was not so good for me – it involved my arm, I had to lie in an awkward position, it seemed to take forever and I bled alot so needed a lot of cautery to stop bleeding which I found distressing. But yes, all local… after the arm I thought 'never again', but the one i had after that was much less painful so don't worry too much. You may never need it, and if you do it might be fine, or you could ask for extra sedation.

                          • August 28, 2015 at 10:38 pm
                          kylez
                          Participant

                            Ellen,

                            Both of my wide excisions, 7 years apart, were done under full general anesthesia. They also did sentinel lymph node biopsies each time. I don't know if those were why I got general, or if I would have gotten it anyway. One was forehead, one neck.

                            – Kyle 

                            • August 28, 2015 at 10:38 pm
                            kylez
                            Participant

                              Ellen,

                              Both of my wide excisions, 7 years apart, were done under full general anesthesia. They also did sentinel lymph node biopsies each time. I don't know if those were why I got general, or if I would have gotten it anyway. One was forehead, one neck.

                              – Kyle 

                              • August 28, 2015 at 10:38 pm
                              kylez
                              Participant

                                Ellen,

                                Both of my wide excisions, 7 years apart, were done under full general anesthesia. They also did sentinel lymph node biopsies each time. I don't know if those were why I got general, or if I would have gotten it anyway. One was forehead, one neck.

                                – Kyle 

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