Dermal Cyst Excision

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• A dermal cyst excision is surgery to remove a cyst from your skin. A dermal cyst is a sac that grows just underneath your skin. The most common dermal cyst is called an epidermal inclusion cyst (epidermoid cyst). These cysts are usually found on your chest, back, neck, or abdomen (stomach). An epidermoid cyst forms into a bump that you can feel and is often painless. The sac is filled with a substance that usually looks yellow and cheesy. This substance may come out of your cyst if it bursts open (ruptures). If your cyst ruptures, it will become inflamed (red and swollen) and may become infected.
  
  
• Your cyst may be caused by an injury, a pimple, or an infection caused by germs called bacteria. Epidermoid cysts may stay small for years or slowly grow larger. During excision, your caregiver will make a cut on or around the skin near your cyst and remove your cyst. With dermal cyst excision, your cyst may stop growing and causing pain. Your cyst may be less likely to burst open, get infected, or grow back.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

• You may feel pain from the surgery. The surgery site may get infected, bruised or leave a scar. A scar may become large and raised. Your surgery site may become infected or inflamed. Your stitches may come apart. Blood may buildup in your wound and you may get bruises. The nerves near your surgery site may be damaged.
  
  
• Even if your cyst is removed, it may grow back. Without treatment, your cyst may become larger. Your cyst may burst open. If your cyst bursts, it may become infected and more painful. If you have cancer, your caregiver may not find it and it may spread to other parts of your body.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Before your surgery:

• Informed consent: A consent form is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.
  
  
• IV: An IV (intravenous) is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.
  
  
• Pre-op care: You will be moved to the room where your surgery will be done and moved to a table. The skin over and around the cyst will be cleaned. Sheets will be put over you to keep the surgery area clean.
  
  
• Local anesthesia: Medicine is used to numb the area of your body where the surgery or procedure will be done. It is usually injected into the skin. It also may be given as a gel or jelly applied to your gums for dental procedures or as a patch. For such areas as the genitals, medicine may be given as a cream on the skin or mucus membranes.

During your surgery:

• Your caregiver makes an incision (cut) into your skin. He may make an oval cut surrounding your cyst. He may also choose to make a cut that is smaller and on top of the cyst. If your caregiver does a punch biopsy, he will use a special tool to cut around the cyst. Your caregiver uses his fingers to push the contents of the cyst out of the hole. He then uses a tool to remove the rest of the sac and its walls. If you are awake, you may feel pressure or pulling while the cyst is being removed. If your cyst is infected, your caregiver drains it first and then may remove the sac another time.
  
  
• Your caregiver may put a drain or gauze cloth in your cut to help remove infection. Drains are thin rubber tubes put into your skin to drain fluid from around your incision. The incision may be closed with stitches or left open to heal. A bandage will be placed over your wound (surgery site) to keep it clean and dry. Your caregiver may send the cyst and nearby tissue to a lab for testing.

After your surgery:

You will be taken to a room where you can rest. Do not get out of bed until your caregiver says it is OK. If you have drains, your caregiver will remove them when the incision stops draining. Your caregiver may ask you to press on your bandage. This may help you from getting bruises. When your caregiver sees that you are OK, you will be allowed to go home.

• Medicine:
  
  
  • Antibiotics: This medicine is given to help treat or prevent an infection caused by bacteria.
    
    
  • Pain medicine: Caregivers may give you medicine to take away or decrease your pain.
    
    
    • Do not wait until the pain is severe to ask for your medicine. Tell caregivers if your pain does not decrease. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it.
      
      
    • Pain medicine can make you dizzy or sleepy. Prevent falls by calling a caregiver when you want to get out of bed or if you need help.
    
    
  • Steroids: This medicine may be given to decrease inflammation.
  
  

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Dermal Cyst Excision (Inpatient Care)