I went to my family doctor for a routine physical. I had a spot on my arm that wasn't healing. It started as a bug bite, and was itchy all the time so I kept scratching it. It was starting to heal, and the top would always peel off, leaving a slight red spot, and the cycle would repeat. So I went to the dermatologist to have it checked.

She said that she would biopsy it, and remove the small bump that had formed. I said great, because I was tired of looking at it.

During the procedure, I said, will you need to put in a stitch or two? She said maybe 4. I said Ok, what was I supposed to do, as it was already cut. After I got home, and I needed to start caring for the wound,
(twice daily washing and redressing), I discover there are 8 stitches. She wanted them to stay in for 2 and 1/2 weeks. The stitches were pulling, itchy and the area was so sore I couldn't sleep for 2 or 3 days. I went back to see the other person in the practice, and he said everything was fine. (by the way, he had the results of the biopsy, and it came back as normal tissue)

When I went back to have the stitches out, I hear her say, "O my God, this is not good, and I will fix this for you for free." When I looked at it, there was a hole in my arm, over 1/4 inch deep, and shaped like a pumpkin seed. The stitches had pulled out, and the area was healing as 2 separate parts. I asked if she could put the stitches back in, and she said no, she would have to wait for it to heal (6months to 1 year) and redo it.

Now, I work in a a hospital, with all kinds of germs and bacteria floating around, and I certainly don't want a gaping hole in my arm.

I went to a surgeon concerning another issue, and had her look at my arm. She said that she would recommend having it recut now, and restitched, so I am going to have her do it at the same time as my other surgery.

I am not a sue happy person, I have never sued anyone in my life. I checked with a lawyer because I am so upset that a small bump on my arm has now turned into a gross-looking gaping hole. Unfortunately, unless my arm gets grossly infected and needs to be amputated, there is nothing that I can do. How can someone do this to another human being and not bear any responsibility?

How would you feel? Am I being a b**ch about this? I know medicine is not an exact science, but wouldn't it have been better to take a small biopsy instead of the huge chunk that she apparently took out first to see what she was dealing with?

I'd probably write the other doctor's office a letter stating what has happened and what the other doctor recommended, including how unhappy you are. My mom did this with another doctor's office she was not happy about, because they treated her very rudely. They mailed her money back to her for the visit she went to.

A bad or disappointing result is not necessarily medical malpractice. Did the second doctor tell you anything that would give you reason to believe that it was?

I think your lawyer has exaggerated (on the amputation thing) -- maybe s/he's not interested in the case just because it's not big enough to justify his or her time (med mal cases are extremely expensive and time-consuming). If you have a long-term issue, you might see another lawyer for a second opinion.

I don't think you are being bitchy at all. That said, odds you get something out of the doc that botched are slim and none. I don't think it would seen as malpractice from the eyes of a court. They would say you have to give doc #1 a chance to "fix" it before going to a new doc. Personally, it would be hard to trust that doc and I would pay out of pocket to gt it fixed elsewhere. I hope you get things resolved and healed

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I have a follow-up appointment with the dermatologist on Friday. I am keeping it because I need to keep checking the wound with someone to make sure it looks ok. (Not infected) It has been seeping for 4 weeks. I can't see the wound too well because it is about 3 inches from my elbow on my forearm, on the back side of my arm. I am really concerned because although I have lots of excess skin elsewhere, my arms have always been muscular. There is not a lot of excess tissue there. The surgeon said that she would have to release the skin from the muscle to be able to stitch it back together.

So what started as a small bump is going to turn into a MAJOR scar. It's about an inch long now, with the opening in the middle. So it will probably end up being 1.5 inches long. I have to return to the butchers office because the family doctor does not want to get in the middle, even though he referred me there. (All I wanted was a second opinion from him, whether I shoud go to a wound care specialist, a surgeon, or a plastic surgeon) I guess I will be looking for a new family doctor as well.

Thanks for your input. I guess I really just needed to vent.

I've had 2 biopsies in my upper arm. Both, even though they were the 'punch' type biopsies, left scars that were deeper than I expected them to be, but over time, ended up actually raised.
I know it's frustrating and makes you worry, but I don't think the doctor really did anything wrong. It sounds like the stitches just pulled out too early, and that could have been caused by a lot of things.
Take care of it and keep it clean. If you are having it done again, go to the 2nd doctor if you trust that person more.

I have to wonder about these dematologists I dont know much about them but the ones I have seen dont know what the heck they are doing either I know it may sound roud but I dont see them as being real drs I mean I guess they are skin dr's but no MD's I see them as ok for acne or removing a wart but anything else I wouldnt see one anymore

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mom of 3 greats girls

I'm sure you've already thought of this but you need to take pics of your arm before your surgery, just in case you feel you need to take legal action (to pay for your additional surgery, etc). I'm so sorry. I hope the surgeon can fix it nicely and keep it from getting infected.

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Mary

snoopy, dermatologists perform surgery in their offices, diagnose and treat various types of skin cancer (some are extremely deadly and difficult to treat, like melanoma). A dermatologist has to get an MD, and go on for more schooling in thier specialty. They have more training/schooling than most family doctors. This particular Dr many or may not have not done the best, but they (dermatologists, or any specialist) are more of a "real" doctor than your family practice doctor.

edited to add, OP, have you ever been tested for diabetes?? One of the symptoms is not healing (the bug bite, now the wound)...its a simple urine test, ask your family dr about it

I'd agree/disagree. Definitely, at least in my state, dermatologists are full MD's. I wouldn't say that they are *more* of a real dr. than a family practice dr., though. They are just *different* in that an F.P. MD specializes in a broad spectrum of issues, with an emphasis on an awareness of family history, etc., and the health issues that arise at various ages, etc.

I think there are some medical practitioners whose credentials vary from state to state. Where I live, pretty much anyone can slap up a sign saying they are a podiatrist. I have a relative who is going to podiatry school, and it is run out of a real medical school. He won't have an M.D., but his schooling has been very rigorous, he will be credentialed to perform many surgeries (even amputations)... etc.

Either way, OP, I hope you can get it all straightened out soon!

Yes I have. I am not diabetic. I did tell he dermatologist that this spot would not heal. I showed her marks I have from cat scratches, burns, and dots on my skin where they have placed IV's in the past.
I asked her to take extra care with me before she did anything. That's why I am so upset that she took such a large chunk of flesh out of my arm. I looked up the type of skin cancer that she suspected. It is not one that is aggressive and she could have gotten the same result with a much smaller biopsy.
It would have been preferable for me if she would have taken the small biopsy, and then remove the larger area if it was cancer.

My dermatologist doesn't do all of his own surgeries. He sends his patients to a surgeon. I had two basal cell carcinomas removed a few years ago and it was a weird, to me, procedure. I went to dermatologist the day of surgery. He marked the spots and sent me to surgeon two floors up in the office building. Surgeon did thin slices off the bumps until he got a slice that was cancer free. He covered the wounds and then sent me back to dermatologist for closing the wounds. They were on or near my face so I guess dermatologist had more skill in suturing. I was told after the stitches came out to rub the spots every chance I got. So I rubbed and rubbed and one is totally invisible and the other is nearly invisible.

I think I now have more and I guess I'll being going back in soon for a repeat. I hope my luck hold out and that your luck get much better with your next one.

If the spot is difficult for you to see and examine why would you be concerned about a scar. If you can't see it perhaps others won't be able to see it either.

It's very visible to everone else. It is on the outside of my lower arm. It is just located in a spot where I can't turn my arm to get a good look at it myself. I'm am most worried at present about infection.

And I am angry that a spot that started out smaller than a pencil eraser is turning into a scar 1 and 1/2 inches long and almost an inch wide. My scars do not end up skin colored. They appear reddish brown, so it will be very noticeable. And I always wear short sleeves, being close to menopause.