Beating the erosion horse to death

DrPleatman · December 13, 2005

There's a difference between rejection and infection. Rejection is a term generally used when referring to transplanted organs, which contain antigens that are recognized by the body as foreign tissue. The body's immune system then produces antibodies to destroy the foreign substance. Silicone rubber is of course a foreign substance, but the body does not mount an immune response to it.

Infection, on the other hand, is generally related to bacteria. If your port site gets red and inflamed, it is due to infection (or possibly erosion, where the infection tracks along the band out to the port).

My understanding of erosion is that it is caused either by sutures too tight around the buckle, or having the band too tight for too long.

Mark Pleatman MD

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

248-334-5444

www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman

Penni60 · December 13, 2005

Dr. Pleatman: Thank you so much for the clarification. It is so nice to have a DOC on board here.

donali · December 13, 2005

DesertMom: The band is a foreign object fitted tightly around the stomach.Anyone that has worn a ring or bangle or something that fitted tightly must have noticed how an indent is formed at the site.I think what happens is that some people get a slight inflammation at the band site or that the band just irritates the stomach and it starts eroding....interesting enough a lot of people with erosion reports "port issues" or port pain and I think it is inflammation....that is what the body does when it is trying to protect or reject.....

The analogy between the finger and the stomach isn't quite a comparison of apples to apples, as the stomach is hollow, which would present less resistance to pressure than a finger with a bone running down the middle. I believe the rest of your theory is more likely - an irritation develops due to peristalsis (the stomach contracting to push food through the digestive system), and due to that injury the stomach starts to absorb the offending particle (the band). This is just my opinion, of course.

PAM RN: The antibiotics before dental work is a new one for me. I'd never heard that one before. I've had dental work done a couple of times since banding without any pretreatment or problems. I'm wondering what in the world that is about? I'm definitely against over use of antibiotics anyway, considering the ever increasing resistance of bacteria, so I'd love to hear more about the rationale behind that. Anyone know more?

http://www.dentistry.com/pdentalupdates_05.asp

Most prosthetic implants safe during dental care

by Dr. Jerry Gordon, DMD

People who have artificial heart valves are required to take antibiotics prior to certain dental procedures to prevent a sometimes-fatal heart infection called subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE). The reason is that bacteria in the mouth during dental treatment can travel through the blood stream and infect the artificial valve. Those who have other prosthetic devices may be concerned whether their knee replacement or pin in their arm, for example, is also at an increased risk for infection after dental treatment. Fortunately, most prosthetic devices are safe from infection and do not require antibiotics prior to dental treatment....

HarleyNana · December 13, 2005

Everyone's so informative, thanks guys.

donali · January 18, 2006

Just had to add this... lol

:deadhorse:

lildarlin · January 18, 2006

Oh my god, that is so funny!!!!! I've never seen that before.

hagerteresa · January 19, 2006

I was told by my dentist that I would need antibiotics for appointments when I had a pin put in my broken ankle years ago, long before I got my band for the exact reason Donali posted. I feel safer taking them before my dental work after getting the band. I had posted something about this issue months ago. Teresa