Hard-Working Dad Experiences Quick Turn Around

Quick Summary

Spanish-speaking father of two had a painful walnut-sized eyelid bump blocking vision and work. He sought removal but had no insurance.
Clinic reviewed his case to minimize out-of-pocket costs and speed his return to work. A nurse evaluated his general health.
Procedure was explained, including expected swelling and use of absorbable sutures to avoid a return visit. Surgery was scheduled for the next day.
Surgery was done under local anesthesia at the ambulatory surgery center with absorbable sutures placed to hide the scar.
Follow-up a week later confirmed an inflamed cyst, and the patient was very grateful. Center was built in 2009 and recertified at the highest level.

A Spanish-speaking, hard-working father of two little children came to visit our clinic last week and saw one of my physician assistants. He had a swollen, painful, walnut-sized bump on his right eyelid under his eyebrow that was obstructing his vision and disrupting his work. He wanted this disfiguring bump removed but had no insurance. So, our office reviewed his case in order to treat him with as little out-of-pocket cost as possible.

I wanted to get him back to work as soon as possible, so our nurse performed an evaluation of his general health. Then, I met with him to explain the procedure in detail, telling him there would be some swelling afterward, but that we could put in two forms of absorbable suture underneath and on top. That way, he would not need to return to the clinic and have to miss work. Afterward, we scheduled him in our surgery clinic for treatment the next day.

When he arrived for his appointment, we brought him back to our ambulatory surgery center, where we performed the surgery under local anesthesia. Then, we put in one running absorbable Vicryl suture underneath (aligning it with his lower brow in order to hide the scar), followed by an observable thin got suture on top.

A week later, we followed up with him to find out how he was feeling and to let him know that the bump turned out to be an inflamed cyst. He was extremely grateful!

It is very gratifying to help such patients.

Our State of the Art Ambulatory Surgery Center

Our Ambulatory Surgery Center was built in our current location in 2009. We just had a recertification at the highest possible level via the Washington State Department of Health.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

What could a hard lump under the eyebrow be?

In this case, the walnut-sized, swollen, painful bump under the eyebrow turned out to be an inflamed cyst. Lumps in this area can sometimes swell enough to obstruct vision and interfere with work. Because different conditions can look similar on the surface, an in-person evaluation is the safest way to sort out what it is and what to do next.

When is a lump under the eyebrow serious enough to see a clinician?

If the lump is painful, rapidly swelling, disfiguring, or obstructing your vision, it’s reasonable to be seen promptly. In the story, the bump was large enough to disrupt work and block vision, which is exactly the kind of situation that warrants a clinic visit. Getting evaluated also helps you understand whether it can be treated simply and quickly.

How is a painful lump under the eyebrow evaluated and treated in a clinic?

The clinic first evaluated general health, then the clinician explained the procedure and expected swelling afterward. Treatment was scheduled quickly, and the bump was removed in an ambulatory surgery center under local anesthesia. A follow-up call about a week later checked on recovery and shared that the bump was an inflamed cyst.

Can an inflamed cyst near the eyebrow be removed under local anesthesia?

Yes—this patient’s inflamed cyst was removed under local anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center. The closure used absorbable sutures placed underneath and on top. That approach was chosen so he wouldn’t need to return to the clinic just to have stitches removed.

Is it worth choosing absorbable sutures to avoid a return visit after eyebrow/eyelid bump removal?

It can be, especially if missing work is a major concern. In this case, two forms of absorbable suture were used specifically so the patient wouldn’t need to come back for suture removal. The tradeoff is a decision you make with your clinician based on your schedule, the planned incision location (to help hide a scar), and expected swelling afterward.