Done Surgery To Repair Artery. CAT Scan Shows Lymph Node Fluid Draining Into Leg. Can You Help Find A Team Of Surgeons?

Posted on Thu, 23 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 Answered on

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband had surgery to repair a artery after an angeogram. From what the doctors found in the cat scan is that the lymph node is draining fluid into his right upper leg. One Dr. has called it Elephantitis. The mass has gotten so big that it must weigh between 50 to 75 lbs. He can only walk about 50 ft. with a walker because the mass is so big and putting pressure on the knee. We are looking for a team of surgeons to remove the mass. We live near XXXXXXX AZ. No surgeon wants to touch it because of medicare and a supplementary insurance. Can you help us find a team of surgeons?

Answered by Dr. Ram Choudhary (2 hours later)

Hi,
Thanks for writing in to Heathcare Magic!
The problem of you husband seems to be not a draining lymph node but a not draining or blocked lymphatic channel. It can result from surgical damage and scarring or a parasitic disease called filariasis in which case the term Elephatiasis is used.
It can be a large pseudoaneurism or aneurism of arterial origin or may be an arteriovenous fistula.
The right person to handle this issue would be a Vascular surgeon.
The Medicare/Insurance issues should be known to you in full details and you should search the Internet for hospitals with vascular surgeons on board and approach these equipped hospitals in your country.
Or you can get treatment at much cheaper costs in countries like India.
If you have any further query please let me know I would try to answer it for you.
I Wish your husband a great health!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar