I have a tiny lump (pea size) under my skin on two places where I had my laparoscopy incisions (one -belly button the other - left side).

[aliona]

The one on the left side feels exactly like a pea under my skin and is a bit tender when i touch it. The belly button one is smaller and less tender. The laparoscopy operation was done last friday, so just over a week ago and I had pelvic endometriosis diathermed. Is this normal?

[Impatient]

It's normal, and it is superglue. Usually they glue up the holes and perhaps might add a disolvable stitch on the skin surface as an extra measure of assuring no germs get in.

The glue does disappear, though one glue plug in one of my holes rose up and out....and I got an infection. Yuk!! lot of green/yellow pus. not nice at all.

Best not squash and meddle with them, as that will increase risk of infections.

Just keep them clean and sterile as long as possible. If the skin gets very red and tender you might then have an infection, and a trip to the GP or surgery nurse for anti-biotics will be needed.

They will be sore on the site of the 'stab wound' as I call it, while it heals. But if the area around that site gets red and tender too, then it probably needs to be treated with meds.

If there is any pus coming out of the hole, then you defiitely have an infection.

Later on once it has healed, you can get lumps of scar tissue under the skin scar. nothing you can do about those, but I suspect the more you fiddle with the wounds the bigger the scar tissue might get, because you are disturbing the healing process.

As my mum always said... stop picking scabs.They will sort themselves out, and if you pick them you make it worse. Same applies to lap holes. just keep them clean and don't squish them.

[Cloudyrain]

Totally agree with impatient - and the stab analogy is a good one because you would expect a stab wound to be sore and swollen a bit. In fact I think it was a fair few months before I wore jeans again as they rub against the scar areas.

Another sign of infection is a temperature and flu-like symptoms: if you start feeling like that give your GP a call.

Have a lot of rest and get well soon x