Skin biopsy / Excision Information for you Follow us on Twitter @NHSaaa Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nhsaaa Visit our website: www.nhsaaa.net All our publications are available in other formats
Consultant: You have had a small piece of skin removed today. Please follow this advice to make sure you are comfortable and to help your wound heal as quickly as possible. Wound care Leave the dressing in place for 48 hours and keep the wound as dry as possible. After 48 hours, remove the dressing gently, leaving the wound open to the air. Do not cover with a waterproof dressing. After 48 hours you can shower as normal, but you should dry your stitches carefully and avoid soaking your wound. If your wound starts to bleed, apply firm pressure to the wound with gauze or tissues for ten to 15 minutes. If this fails to stop the bleeding, contact this department. Bruising and swelling may occur around the wound. This is normal. If the wound starts to weep and become increasingly red and painful, this may be a sign of infection and you should seek medical advice. 2
If the operated area is on your lower leg, you should avoid standing for long periods of time. When sitting, you should raise your leg above the level of your hip. If you have to bend or stretch the part of your body which was operated on, you should avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, such as aerobics or swimming while the stitches are in place, and for a further two to three weeks after removal. This will allow the wound to heal. Are there any side effects to the local anaesthetic? You have been given a local anaesthetic of Xylocaine 1% or 2 % with adrenaline. The nurse will check the expiry date and will make sure that the medicine has been stored at the correct temperature before giving you the injection. Like all medicines, Xylocaine may cause side effects. There may be some numbness or loss of feeling in the area where the injection was given. This will slowly wear off. You may experience feelings of nervousness, dizziness, blurred vision, shakiness and occasionally drowsiness and loss of consciousness. Other rare side 3
effects are convulsions (fits), low blood pressure and breathing difficulties or slowed heartbeat. Serious side effects usually only occur with high blood levels of the medicine. One of the ingredients of the injection, the preservative methyl parahydroxybenoate, can cause specific reactions that may develop after you have been given the medicine. In rare cases, you may experience skin rashes and breathlessness. Some people can be allergic to some of the ingredients of the medicine. However, this is quite rare. Allergic reactions can range from rashes and swelling to severe allergic reactions such as nerve damage, breathlessness. Drop of blood pressure or shock. You should contact your family doctor (GP) immediately if you experience any unusual or severe side effects. Another ingredient, sodium metabisulphite, has also been known to cause allergic reactions. This is more common in people with a history of allergies or asthma. You should contact your family doctor (GP) or pharmacist immediately if you experience any unusual or severe side effects. 4
Pain You should not be in severe pain, but this depends on the size and complexity of the surgery you have had. You may take painkillers, such as paracetamol. Make sure you follow the instructions on the packet. You should avoid aspirin, as this may increase the risk of bleeding. If you are already taking aspirin for other reasons, you should continue this as prescribed. Suture removal Instructions for the treatment room nurse at your family doctor (GP) practice. Please remove wound site on sutures from the This should be done on / / Apply steristrips if necessary. Thank you. Doctor / nurse: Date: / / 5
Finding out the results of your skin biopsy All patients should be informed of their skin biopsy results within six to eight weeks of the procedure. You may be given a further dermatology clinic appointment to receive and discuss the result, or alternatively your hospital doctor may write to you with the result. If you have not been informed of your biopsy result within eight weeks then please contact the dermatology secretaries on the telephone numbers provided below. If you have any concerns about the care and management of your wound or if you would like some advice, please contact the dermatology secretaries on the telephone numbers provided below: University Hospital Crosshouse Telephone: 01563 827 923 Heathfield Suite, University Hospital Ayr Telephone: 01292 616 825 6
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All of our publications are available in different languages, larger print, braille (English only), audio tape or another format of your choice. Tha gach sgrìobhainn againn rim faotainn ann an diofar chànanan, clò nas motha, Braille (Beurla a-mhàin), teip claistinn no riochd eile a tha sibh airson a thaghadh. 0800 169 1441 Tell us what you think... If you would like to comment on any issues raised by this document, please complete this form and return it to: Communications Department, 28 Lister Street, University Hospital Crosshouse, Crosshouse KA2 0BB. You can also email us at: comms@aaaht.scot.nhs.uk. If you provide your contact details, we will acknowledge your comments and pass them to the appropriate departments for a response. Name Address Comment Compiled by Dermatology Last reviewed: November 2017 Leaflet reference: MIS06-011-CC/PIL17-0409