12/03/2015    Peter Bregman, DPM

Complications are Not Always Bad

I want to first preface this story by saying the
complication rate of a seroma for typical common
fibular nerve decompressions is around 1% or so.
I have had 3 or 4 in 300-400 of these procedures
in the last 10 years. Typically, they resolve
after a few times of draining them. Now onto the
story: A female patient in early 50s had a
straightforward decompression of the common
fibular nerve and was doing well until about 3
weeks out when she presented with a classic
seroma. This patient is slightly non-compliant in
that she went back to work and did not modify her
duties, which may have led to this condition.

So, she came in the first time and I drained 15cc
of fluid. Two days later, it recurred and I
drained the same amount. The same thing happened
again 2 days later, except this time I told her
to stay home and rest instead of going to work.
On the next visit, 4 days later, she looked
different so I asked what was wrong? Her husband
came home from work (now mind you, she was not
supposed to be home and wanted to be at work but
because of this complication, I ordered her to
stay home.)

So, her husband who had had a previous heart
attack came in the front door and thankfully she
was there, as he had another heart attack and she
immediately called her ambulance connection and
in 3-4 minutes, he was being treated and off to
the hospital where he had another stent put in to
relieve the blockage in one of the coronary
arteries. Were it not for this complication, he
would have likely died, as she would have been at
work. He is doing well. So, not all
complications are bad.

Peter Bregman, DPM, Las Vegas, NV

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