You will be love 

I was recently diagnosed with a melanoma in situ and am due for a WLE in the next few weeks. The mole was on my thigh and the excision biopsy was fine. A little tight to begin with but it wasn't really painful even after the local wore off.

I've been wondering what the next op will be like. I know they go 0.5cm all around, but will this be around the whole scar, which is much larger than the mole was. And will they go 0.5cm deep?

It seems from the posts above as though this will be a bigger op than I've been expecting. Wondering if, since it's on my thigh and not near my knee whether it will be as bad as it has been for some of you.

Please can anyone share their experience as to what to expect? I thought I'd be back in work the next day.

Feel releived its in situ so only really worrying at this stage about the op itself.

Hi,

I have linked a leaflet from the hospital at Birmingham which explains about a Wide Local Excision. In your case they will remove 0.5cm from around the centre of the scar & also in depth so your scar will be bigger and deeper. You will have probably noticed that your scar is long rather then round? This is called elliptical surgery where they cut in a line rather than in a circle because it's easier to pull the skin together and stitch a 'line'. So your scar will be a little tighter than the previous one but the skin layers will start to improve it's elasticity as healing continues. When you have your follow up appintment after the op ask the nurse/consultant when you can start massaging the wound to improve elasticity - use either Bio Oil or E45 lotion to do this & it will help the stretching & healing process. Good luck. www.uhb.nhs.uk/.../PiWideLocalExcision.pdf

Angie

Thanks Angie that leaflet's very helpful.

My excision biopsy wasn't done as elliptical as doctor said my mole was only small so it wasn't necessary. I'm now left with a scar with redness around that extends to 2cm by 1cm which is 2cm horizontally on my thigh. Do you think they'll need to go 0.5cm beyond that to get a vertical elliptical this time as then I'm thinking it will need a long scar and be very tight afterwards until everything strectes out.

I can't really say I'm afraid. They will explain it to you before the procedure & I know that my WLE was done vertically, following the vertical scar from the initial biopsy, but I don't know if every surgeon does the same (mine was on my shin).

Hi 

Im due have a WLE next week as well as a lymph biopsy in my groin. I'm just wondering what to expect after the operation? 

Hi Cuba,

This link may help explain what happens during & what to expect after these procedures www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/.../sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy-for-malignant-melanoma.pdf

Depending on the size & location of the WLE and SLNB the rate of recovery will vary & the risk of any side effects. The things to watch out for are infection (redness & heat) which will require antibiotics, swelling which may be caused by lymphoedema - this doesn't happen often but the risk increases depending on how many nodes have been removed.

Good luck, I hope the results come back clear,

Angie

Hi Angie 

Thank you for your reply. Fingers crossed everything comes back clear 

Hi Madcats.  It sounds like we're similar.  I had a mole removed on my left thigh at the beginning of October and was diagnosed with melanoma in situ.  I had my WLE 2 weeks ago (tomorrow).  I am finding it quite different.  I did have pain from my previous surgery (my GP used to work in dermatology so he removed my mole and a 0.5cm margin).  

This time they have done another 0.5cm around the existing scar site, and in addition to just the stiches and dressing I had last time, they also  cauterised the wound and I had a compression dressing on for a week.   My leg feels quite heavy and strangely today is more painful than it has been for the last few days (although to be fair I've been at work all morning).   Because its on the front of my thigh its in a place that can easily be knocked and as I do a lot of lifting and moving furniture around in my job I've had to get some help with that (I'm self employed so couldn't take the offer of a sick note).   I had my dressing changed and the compression dressing off last Thursday and I'm back this coming Friday to see if the stitches can come out (they're meant to be in for 16 days).

If you have an sedentary job you may be ok - but I would certainly go easy.   I was told to go home and rest for the weekend and put my feet up, which I did as personally I felt a bit naff!  

I hope that helps a little.

Thanks so much Snara, that's really helpful to know that it could be a different experience this time around. I hadn't considered the need for cauterisation or compression dressing or the delayed pain. It sounds like our ops are in a very similar place.

I hope your recovery continues well and the pain subsides soon. 

Have you been advised not to drive after the op? And we're you supplied with extra dressings or did you have to go back to hospital or GP for dressing changes?