Post Op infection

[ChihuahuaMom 23]

I developed an infection with a drug resistant organism - knew I had an infection before I even left Mexico. It looked so bad after it broke open my doctor in the US wanted to hospitalize me that night. I knew I wasn't showing signs of being terribly ill, & she consulted with a surgeon who told her I likely just had an infected seroma. It did look ghastly at first, and the tract was over 4 inches deep.

I met a person who had surgery the day before me at Hospital MI Doctor, who had the same thing happen - an incision breaking open & draining a huge amount of liquid. This person emailed me that their infection cultured out to be the same as mine - drug resistant pseudomonas. I had to have an infectious disease consult. I am glad so many get through their surgery just fine at this hospital, but I have had 2 PMs on another bariatric forum who tell me they developed an infection with a superbug after their sleeve at Mi Doctor. I never saw anything in my searches to help me decide if this was where I wanted to have my surgery. Just putting it out there for others considering their options that this was an issue for me.

The incision is finally close to being closed, my surgery was back on November 5. I am still glad I got my sleeve but could have done without this infection.

[nolagirl 36]

So glad your finally doing better. th ose superbug infections are notihing to play with. I'd like to hear from some of the nursing staff on the forum ( or OP if they told you) why it seems that certain hospitals are harboring these things and giving them with some regualrity to thier patients. Is it in the air? or surgical tools not properly steralized? How does one get it and where does it come from? inquiring minds want to know LOL....

[catered1 22]

I too got an infection at Hospital MI. I don't know if it was what you had but I kept telling them it was infected and they kept assuring me that it was not. When I was home I had so much pus oozing out of my large incision I went into urgent care and got antibiotics. I still after 3 1/2 months out have irritation and even mild pain on the incision sight.

[ChihuahuaMom 23]

Sorry this happened to you as well.

I've been an RN for over 30 years, I know what an infected incision looks like. The surgeon told me it could not be infected in less than a week, also that the antibiotics he prescribed would prevent an infection from developing. Both not true, incisions can start to show signs of infection far earlier than a week out & antibiotics only work if they are the right one to cover the bacteria involved.

It was a deep infection - not from a surface issue of contaminating the incision from the outside. I believe it would have had to originated in the OR. The infectious disease doctor I saw agreed with this. Pseudomonas is a Water loving organism, so he thought likely it was due to some contamination, possibly from a contaminated irrigation solution. 2 other incisions looked red and inflamed but only 1 had pus pouring out of it. I am just thankful it was not inside my peritoneal cavity. I am not going to ever know exactly how or why this infection occurred. I don't think there is any way to track the complication rate of a hospital or surgeon outside the US, I don't know that they are required to track or report post op complication like in the US.

I'm not faulting the surgeon, but obviously something went wrong & I'm not the only who has come forward reporting a post op infection from this facility.

[nolagirl 36]

hey ChihuahuaMOm

thank you so much for reporting your infection and what it was. i saw ladies when i was waiting on my surgery with Dr Ortiz that were going to Mi hospital and i wanted to tell them that a lot of ppl are reporting infections from Mi Doctors but i didn't say anything i didn't want to scare anyone or be like the voice of doom and gloom.

i wonder if there is a reporting agency that you could officially report to?

regardless i'm SO SO glad you are OK!!

thank god you are a nurse and knew right away something was not right.

I'm praying for your speedy FULL recovery

[catered1 22]

It is too bad that we can't track the infection rates from elsewhere. I think the people that helped me facilitate my surgery should keep track also of the reported infections. BUT... I think the hospitals and the medical tourisim people really don't care as long as they get their money. There is no follow up from the doctors once one crosses that border back into the U.S. And I only recieved a questionare from Mexico Bariactrics when all was said and done with no response about the infections or chipped tooth. But truthfully, I knew it was probably going to be like this and I would still do it again. I do feel it was too bad though that I did have to go this avenue because my insurance made it too difficult to do it state side. I will have to do a Tummy Tuck so I have decided to do it here in the U.S. and suck it up and sell my first born to pay for it. (mmm? He's 35, do you think he'll go for it?)

Edited January 20, 2014 by catered1