Port Infection

[Aurelia 2]

Weirdest thing, I was banded in March of 2009 and never had any issues and had great success with the band. I've lost over 100 pounds. About two months ago my port started getting tender it got progressively worse. I started running fevers and the pain was bad but not unbearable. I went to my band doctor and he said the band needed to come out. He put in the request for band removal surgery but my insurance denied it. He appealed and they finally approved it. It's started getting bruised and now I can't even tolerate the sensation of anything touching the area. Has anyone else experienced this?

[KateP 359]

No but infection, swelling, tenderness around the port can be the only symptoms of band erosion. The infection set up as the band erodes into stomach tissue can be asymptomatic for a time but infection can be generated near the band and can travel along the tubing to the port. If your doctor wants to remove the band and not just the port, this may be what he suspects.

Removing the band allows the stomach to heal and the infection to be controlled,

But I am not a doctor! It may just be an infected port area!

[Aurelia 2]

Weirdest thing, I was banded in March of 2009 and never had any issues and had great success with the band. I've lost over 100 pounds. About two months ago my port started getting tender it got progressively worse. I started running fevers and the pain was bad but not unbearable. I went to my band doctor and he said the band needed to come out. He put in the request for band removal surgery but my insurance denied it. He appealed and they finally approved it. It's started getting bruised and now I can't even tolerate the sensation of anything touching the area. Has anyone else experienced this?

Kate,

I'm having the band removed on thursday. I had an EGD and Catscan done. EGD showed no erosion or slippage but the CT Scan showed a lot of Fluid around the port. The swelling around it has worsened and its bruised. I just wanted to know if the port can spontaneously get infected without the band slipping etc. I'm interested so see what he finds when he goes in on thursday.

[KateP 359]

@@Aurelia interesting. Sorry this has happened to you but glad there is no erosion. Should make healing much quicker. Why did he decide to remove the whole band and not just the port? Let us know how you get on, best wishes for a speedy recovery, do you plan to revise to another surgery type?

[Aurelia 2]

He hates the band and is weary of all the complications he's been seeing lately. He's had to remove a lot lately. He's also concerned about this spontaneous infection and says that the band could be encouraging it. He says a film grows on the band and bacteria can grow on it. I've also been on 4 different antibiotics and none of them seem to be working. This is the first major issue I've had with it. I wanted a revision to sleeve but my insurance says my BMI of 20 doesn't qualify me for more bariatric surgery.

[KateP 359]

@@Aurelia yes, I am afraid it is beyond doubt now that the number of serious complications with the band is far higher than people ever imagined even five years ago. A lot of doctors no longer implant them.

But mine is still fine after 9 years! I just am no longer confident it will be for life. I do everything I can to minimise risk - that's all any of us can do.

[Aurelia 2]

@@Aurelia yes, I am afraid it is beyond doubt now that the number of serious complications with the band is far higher than people ever imagined even five years ago. A lot of doctors no longer implant them.

But mine is still fine after 9 years! I just am no longer confident it will be for life. I do everything I can to minimise risk - that's all any of us can do.

I'm so disappointed. I've had great success with the band and I'm so scared of gaining weight.