Port Infection/lapband Infection/band Removal

[gingerwale 8]

I was banded on February 2' date=' 2012. Surgery went fine. Went and saw my surgeon 1 week later and he said everything looked fine. Had another follow up scheduled for March 7th. My incision was covered with steri-stitch, so it looked like a long icky black stick. about 2 weeks later a part of my incision turned yellow and would never heal. I kept it covered thinking it would heal itself. It never did. At work the day before my scheduled appointment I was downing Lortab like crazy due to the pain. My back hurt, my stomach hurt. I just kept saying to myself "I'll wait till my appointment tomorrow." Went to the appointment which was supposed to be my first fill and the look on the nurses face was indescribable. She ran and got the doctor who looked at my incision and said "Yep, its an infection, gotta remove the port." I cried and I cried and 2 days later I was having an emergency port removal. The day after my surgery I went to take a shower and removed the bandage and cried even more. I was left with a hole in my stomach that was about 3 inches long, 2 inches wide and had to be at least 3 inches deep. It was packed with gauze and covered with more gauze. I had to cut a piece of gauze and soak it in a clear liquid. Then I had to "stuff" the gauze into the hole and cover with the square gauze and tape it down. It took over 2 1/2 months for the hole to heal. That's 2 1/2 months of stuffing the hole, covering with gauze and tape...lots of tape. Tape that tore my stomach UP...sores, sores and more sores. I tried re positioning the gauze, using double to cover the sores from the tape which gave me more sores. ANYWAY....After finally getting it healed I had my 3rd surgery on June 19th (last week). My sugery also included and EGD to make sure there was no infection in my stomach and to make sure the band wasn't infected. Doc said everything looked great. Band was still in position and looked good, my stomach pouch was the same as the first surgery (which I was worried about since after the port was removed I returned to my old eating habits which included 4-5 sodas a day) He did a fill of 5cc which doesn't really feel any differently than before. I really don't have any restrictions when it comes to eating but I do start to feel full alot faster. Anyway, went to my 1st followup after this last surgery today. Incision looks great except for one small little hole....that is leaking...clear red Fluid....CONTINUOUSLY. Has anyone had that?????? Doc is worried that an infection could set in, said I had a "sarcoma??" That is what is leaking and as long as it doesn't turn into a puss like consistency and color and as long as my incision area doesn't get red and start hurting then I'm fine. Please send some prayers that this does not turn into an infection. If it does, that is the end for me and my lab band journey.[/quote']

Sorry for all you've encountered... I bet he said "seroma" as opposed to sarcoma. It's just a Fluid filled pocket. Be sure to wash your hands frequently and change dressings as directed. Avoid irritating clothing at the site.

[BamaGirl36303 1]

Sorry for all you've encountered... I bet he said "seroma" as opposed to sarcoma. It's just a Fluid filled pocket. Be sure to wash your hands frequently and change dressings as directed. Avoid irritating clothing at the site.

Thank you thank you!!!!! I've been trying to remember what he called it!!!! That is exactly what I have. I've been keeping the dressing changed...at least every hour except at night when sleeping. When I'm home, I leave it uncovered hoping it will help to heal it faster. Thanks again!!!!

[SeanM 1]

Thank you thank you!!!!! I've been trying to remember what he called it!!!! That is exactly what I have. I've been keeping the dressing changed...at least every hour except at night when sleeping. When I'm home, I leave it uncovered hoping it will help to heal it faster. Thanks again!!!!

[SeanM 1]

Hope you get better soon, I'm just beginning my recovery from the port removal , I can see it taking along time also,

Please tell me how we're you healing the wound after removal

Did you ever use aquacel or any of the hydrogel stuff to pack the hole?

How deep did you pack it?

Does it ever dry up?

Thanks

[BamaGirl36303 1]

Hope you get better soon, I'm just beginning my recovery from the port removal , I can see it taking along time also,

Please tell me how we're you healing the wound after removal

Did you ever use aquacel or any of the hydrogel stuff to pack the hole?

How deep did you pack it?

Does it ever dry up?

Thanks

Sean, It took 2 1/2 months for me to heal enough to get my port back. From March 9th till June 19th. It healed pretty good, except for the huge crater in my stomach. looked like someone could skateboard in it it was so funny looking. My doc actually removed alot of the scar when he put my port back in, so even though there is still a crater, it isn't as purple as it was. I was given kerlix gauze to soak in sodium chloride. I would cut off about 6 inches of kerlix gauze and soak it in the sodium chloride, stuff it in the hole (which was about 3 inches deep) with cotton tipped applicators, and cover it with 4x4 gauze and taped on with 2 inch paper tape. The tape would tear my skin up. I would get sores from it. I had to change it 2x a day, so in the morning I would set it up and at night when I had to change it again, when I pulled the tape off, the scabs from the sores would come off too. It was HORRIBLE!!!! I kept using more and more gauze making the area bigger to give the old areas time to heal. By the time they healed I had sores from the bigger area. It healed from the inside out, so the longer I packed it, the less I had to use. It was pretty weird watching the hole shrink. I would take pics of it to show crazy people I worked with. Some of the like gross stuff!!!!

I'm glad I don't have to deal with that anymore. Until I got the seroma. I had to keep gauze on it to soak up the liquid that was coming out. I finally got the seroma stopped so I don't have to cover it anymore. Now my area is slightly red and sore (but not hot). Not like when I had the infection, but sore. I'm not sure if it is just from the surgery, since it was only 2 weeks ago, or if I have another infection.

Hope that helps. If you have any other questions, I'll be glad to answer them. Hope you start to feel better and recover quickly!!!!

[pcosmommyof4 13]

I was banded 1 Dec and had my port removed on the 19th of June.

I will post a detail evolution of what happened for now have a look at this slideshow,

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First of all I want to thank everyone thats treating me specialy my doctor, very caring to the point he quickly replies to my emails and takes calls, something I am very gratefull for in times of stress like the present, I am extreemly happy I chose him, and the infection was probably due to a fill that had nothing to do with him,

-I was banded on the 1 dec, operation went well healing was fast I had restiction for about 4 weeks, then I had a fill towards end of Jan, 7 or 8 week( ill have to check the exact dates)

-1st fill was 2cc from empty Not much restriction if any

-2nd about 15 March, fill was not with my regular doc, 2cc, the other new doc said there was only 1cc in I think he said that 1 was for the tubing, and 1 in the band, so ended with 3 or 4 cc, sort of confused me but I left with adequate restriction.

-Soon afterwards I developed a redness underneath the port area, after taking two rounds of Antibiotics after a month it was gone

- 3rd and last fill 1cc begining of April taking me to 4-5 cc

all was fine for about a month, and I got this little sore bump on the port site, the sorenes diminished mut the whole area started geting hard, but no redness

- Begining of june noticed a redness again

- put on Amox Clav for 7 days changed to Levoflaxocine 500 twise a day 10 days,

-abscess cut open to allow drainage

- Gastroscospyy showed band was quite tight and there was a bit inflamated,

-Port removed all lquid removed 19th June

I may have got some dates and fills wrong but its more or less the story, Ill add more detail and update the slideshow

Im hoping someone who has had the same problem can give advice on how to efectivly heal the hole left on my belly.

the hole its getting changed/packed daily with Aquacel Ag or mesch the guazed get changed 3 times a day, im getting clonflicting ideas on how best to treat this, any advice would be much apretiated.

I want repack the hole/wound 2 times a day but some say the Aquacel Ag needs to be in there at least 24hours, its still quite damp needing to change the guazes at least every 8 hours.

Thanks in advance for your help

I had a different surgery in 2006, we had to pack my wound for six months. My entire 8 inch inscision came open when the dr. tooks the staples out. It will eventually heal that way. The great thing about packing it is, that the scare won't be as visible.

[curlyq2 17]

Bamagirl

I have very sensitive skin and had had several surgeries but found I can only use hypafix tape or my skin becomes excoriated. It's more expensive

but works great it is a cloth tape which flexes and expands (kinda like spandex for wounds) I just had foot/ankle surgery 11 days ago so I'm using it once again I have never any skin breakdown from using it. I also have been a nurse for 26 years and haven't seen a better product out there!

[BamaGirl36303 1]

Curlyq, i'm hoping I won't have to use it much longer. It hasn't been as bad for me this time since I've made the gauze so small the tape is sticking to the scar which has no feeling....LOL I get to see the doc again next tuesday and I'm hoping he says everything looks good and maybe can do something to stop this leaking (which has been going on for almost 3 weeks now). The hole is definitely getting smaller!