Port complications may lead to Erosion

DeLarla · December 31, 2005

DDflinn, if you "had" redness and soreness, was it directly after surgery during the healing phase? Or did this spring up after you had completely recovered? That might be normal during the recovery period, but no doctor should ever put you on antibiotics for a port infection. They won't cure it. The ONLY cure for an infected port is to have it surgically removed.

Look at Penni, for example. Her symptoms came and went, yet she eventually eroded just like the rest of the people I know who had port-site redness and irritation. I'm currently recovering from band removal surgery. I had no signs of erosion when they first detected the infection, and I still had no signs of erosion 8 months later. But I did eventually erode, and the band removal process was NO picnic.

As far as having your port removed if it's infected, this isn't my opinion. When I was told my infected port needed to be removed, I refused. Instead I got on the phone and spoke with as many band surgeons that would take my call, and every single one of them agreed that an infected port had to be removed. Here's the list of very popular and experienced band surgeons who personally told me that antibiotics might temporarily relieve port-infection symptoms but the port MUST be removed:

Dr. Lopez, Tijuana, MX

Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana, MX

Dr. Kuri, Tijuana, MX

Dr. Martinez, Tijuana MX

Dr. Rumbah, Monterey, MX

Dr. Teng, Las Vegas, NV

Dr. Fischer, Las Vegas, NV

Dr. Billy, Ventura, CA

As you can see, I did my homework before getting my first port removed. Please get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion immediately. Good luck, I'll be thinking of you.

DeLarla · December 31, 2005

HERE HERE, Thank God for Dr. Billy.

Alexandra · December 31, 2005

Port infections lead to erosion, not vice versa.

This is certainly a valid opinion, but it is just that, an opinion from a non-medical person. From everything I've read, it seems like "AND vice versa" would be a more accurate way to say it.

Who can really tell what happens in other people? It's wonderful that you have done so much research and understand your own situation so well, but it's risky to generalize too much. There are important lessons to be learned from your and others' experiences, no question. But lets try to avoid speaking in absolutes when we're not in possession of all the facts for every single incidence of band complication out there.

DeLarla · December 31, 2005

"Erosion causes port site infection."

Yet this statement is acceptible? I know several women who didn't have port site infections that were eroded. Why is my statement being corrected yet this "opinion" isn't?

Alexandra · December 31, 2005

Just because it wasn't exclusionary. Erosion probably does lead to port site infection, if the doctors have seen it happen. And it's entirely probably that the reverse happens as well. You said "not vice versa" and that's what I was trying to qualify.