Breast biopsies- steri-strips and blisters

[UTVOL3]

Anyone here work with a lot of breast biopsy patients?

We have many patients for ultrasound or stereotactic breast biopsies. The techs use steri-strips to close the incision afterwords. Occasionally these patients will call back or come in day 2 or 3 after the procedure with a blister. It is always the same location, the top or bottom of the steri-strip, or sometimes both. The configuration of the strip does not seem to make a difference. We have tried using a "star" type criss-cross, vertically and horizontally placed strips. I have a theory that it is from the weight of the breast dragging downward on the strip, tugging on the skin. I can't think of what else it might be, or how to prevent it. We use an Alcare skin prep under the strip. It is not a contact dermatitis, the blister is only at the top or bottom of the strip.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[UTVOL3]

Nobody, eh? Maybe the wound care folks might have an idea.

[UTVOL3]

Hoping one of the wound care nurses might have an idea.

We have many patients for ultrasound or stereotactic guided breast biopsies. The techs use steri-strips to close the incision afterwords. Occasionally these patients will call back or come in day 2 or 3 after the procedure with a blister. It is always the same location, the top or bottom of the steri-strip, or sometimes both. The configuration of the strip does not seem to make a difference. We have tried using a "star" type criss-cross, vertically and horizontally placed strips. I have a theory that it is from the weight of the breast dragging downward on the strip, tugging on the skin. I can't think of what else it might be, or how to prevent it. We use an Alcare skin prep under the strip. It is not a contact dermatitis, the blister is only at the top or bottom of the strip. Patients describe it as a water blister- usually by the time we see them it is just an open, excoriated place.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[lindseylpn]

I recently had a patient that had the same thing. The blisters were small and she said they didn't bother her and went away when the steri strips were removed

[lindseylpn]

Love your screen name btw :-)

[S.G.]

We used the steri strips in a star pattern with tincture of benzoin underneath. I never had a patient or heard of a patient complain of any sort of blisters near the steri-strips in the two years I worked in Radiology.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Merged threads.

[UTVOL3]

Thanks for merging, admin.

Tincture of benzoin. I will have to look into that. Thanks!

Lindseylpn- sometimes the patients report they don't even notice them, then sometimes they will be more bothersome than the actual biopsy. Then we will go weeks, months even before I hear of anyone having this problem. Then all of a sudden we will have 2 or 3.

[mommy.19, MSN, RN, APRN]

I think you're correct, it's from shear and friction of the steri strip combined with the weight of the breast. I might suggest dermabond?

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[UTVOL3]

Dermabond! That's a good idea. Thanks!