Port Infection And Lap Band Removal

[JennBee316 0]

I had my Band placed on March 31, 2010. Since then I've lost nearly 100lbs. About two months ago, the place were my port is located started burning like the worst sunburn I've ever had. After that it started to change colors and swell. I went to my doctor May 18 for a regular appointment and mentioned my concern to him about the port. He looked and was "very concerned". Needless to say, he didn't adjust my band that day. He mentioned having me in surgery that Friday, but then he decided to try a round of antibiotic and see me a week later. I took the antibiotics, the swelling went down, the color looked more normal, and I saw him a week later. He was pleased with the progress, but put me on another week of antibiotics hoping that would finish off the infection and we could get back to normal. I'm a teacher, and he was trying to get me through the school year. He asked when school was out, and I said June 8. He said, "I'll see you June 9." On June 9th, the port looked bad again... He told me I'd be spending the next day in the hospital. On June 10, I arrived at the hospital at 6am, I had a scope at 7am and thank goodness, there was NO EROSION! He didn't think there would be, but we had to check to be safe. At noon he was going to do a diagnostic laperoscopy. There he discovered a serious infection - pus and Fluid. The port was removed and I have an open wound that has to be treated twice a day, a STRONG dose of Augmentin, and pain meds every 4 hours. They said it would be about 2 months before I can have a new port inserted... on the other side of my belly button this time. I have to say, I think this surgery was worse than having the band placed. I know the after care is much worse. He wants me to continue following the Lap Band "rules" while I'm without the port, and he said I wouldn't have much restriction, but actually it still feels pretty restricted to me. I'm not upset and I believe it'll all work out. I'll just be happy to be out of pain. How many others have dealt with this type of thing. The hospital staff kept telling me they hadn't encountered this very often.

[natashad 0]

Glad your doing well and staying positive! Best of luck to you. Keepus posted whe u get your new port.

[silvers320 12]

Went through the same thing here - my port infection happened about 3 months and 65 or 70 lbs into the first year. And you are right, the pain (and grossness) of that open wound is worst then the original surgery.

My replacement port is going on almost 3 years and still going strong!!

Good Luck

[dandi2005 1]

What causes them to get infected? I bet that is very painful

[JennBee316 0]

From what I've read, a lot of the time the infection comes from an erosion of the band, but mine didn't. The band was perfectly fine. I have no idea what caused my infection... when I see my surgeon on the 24th that's my first question. Up to this point I was mostly concerned with getting it healed instead of what caused it. Scary thing is, for a long time I thought the knot around my port was scar tissue, but in all likelihood, it was the infection. Wish I'd had it checked earlier.

My visiting nurse came this morning to change my bandages and said the wound is progressing as it should. I was hoping I could cut back in the pain meds, but at about 3 1/2 hours after I take one, I'm in a whole lot of pain again. Friend of mine keeps reminding me it's only been three days since surgery. Right now the thing I'm dreading is going through this one more time to have the port replaced. But things have worked so well so far, I'm willing to do it to keep things going.

[Dikotomy 0]

I have a similar tale of woe and am really conflicted about whether or not to abandon my lap band at this point.

Three weeks ago I experienced, one year post surgery and completely out of the blue, pain at my port site. It worsened over the course of a few days, and after an initial misdiagnosis by the NP of a "muscle pull", I was run through a battery of tests at the hospital (including a CAT scan) and a major infection was revealed at the port site. Long story short, I had emergency surgery that very night, and remained in the hospital for four days on heavy doses of morphine and percocet. I was released on day 5 with an open wound, and now have a wound vac which I am told I'll have for another couple of weeks. As others have said, the recovery after this surgery is MUCH worse, pain-wise. I am restricted by this wound-vac and my energy level is still suffering, not to mention the ongoing wound pain.

My surgeon was at a loss as to where this infection came from, even saying that it might have been present at the time my band was put in one year ago (!) and only now presented itself. The surgeon says I can have a new port reinserted (and attached to the band, which he left in place, partially filled) in a couple of months. This terrifies me. I might have died if this infection had gone another day or so, and no medical professional is able to tell me with any certainty how or why this infection developed. I would live in fear that it would reoccur. Plus, the band was a minimal success for me anyway. I was struggling to find proper restriction (at 10 cc in an 11 cc band when the infection happened) and had only lost about 30 pounds in the year it was in.

I really don't know what to do, but am in no hurry to get the port put back in after this recent surgical bout. My body needs a rest.

Any thoughts/words of wisdom? I hate to give up on this, but I'm pretty freaked out by by this latest turn of events.

Thanks!

[JennBee316 0]

I'm planning to have my port replaced once the doctor says I can, which should be in October. I know the infection is scary, but I think the benefits, at least for me, outweigh the risks. With the band and the subsequent weight loss I have lost enough weight to end my diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other health issues. With my family history, those issues would have certainly killed me. It's up to each person individually how to deal with it after the port is removed. Personally, I just feel like I haven't come this far to turn back now. Most of what I have read is that once the port is removed and replaced, people get along just fine and don't have further problems. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Rachel412 116]

Dikotomy, if I were you I'd have the band removed. If you were close to capacity and it wasn't working for you, I don't think the odds are good that it'd start workign in that last 1 cc. Are you open minded about having a different WLS now?

[Dikotomy 0]

Dikotomy, if I were you I'd have the band removed. If you were close to capacity and it wasn't working for you, I don't think the odds are good that it'd start workign in that last 1 cc. Are you open minded about having a different WLS now?

Hi,

Just a quick update -- after debating long and hard about what to do, and talking to my surgeon and family, I decided to have the port reinstalled. My weight was creeping upwards and I was within 10 pounds of my starting weight one year ago, so clearly I need help. I asked the surgeon about alternate WLS and he said I wasn't a candidate for gastric bypass because the band had scarred my stomach. Yesterday the new port was reinstalled and it was, to be honest, a piece of cake (no pun intended!) I went under general anesthesia but the surgery was short in duration, he said, and I was allowed to go home same day. Today I am on Roxicet but the pain is manageable and my energy level is good. I sincerely hope this turns out to have been the right decision! Thanks for your input and support, everyone.

Diana

[JennBee316 0]

Diana, I hope things work out well for you this time around. I have my port replaced on next Friday, Oct. 14. I've had some problems and a lot of pain since I've had my port removed and my surgeon was concerned about erosion again, but after loads of tests,come to find out, it has nothing to do with the band... I have an ovarian cyst on the same side where the port was and band is, and I have uterine fibroids causing further abdominal pain. Actually looking forward to having the port replaced this week. My restriction is WAY down and I'm eating much more than I need. Ready to get back on the weight loss bus.

Glad to hear the replacement is a much easier procedure. My surgeon said it would be and I was hoping it would... I'm the lead singer in a band we have a gig on Sunday after I have the replacement on Friday Hoping I'll be able to sing, even if the "performance" is lacking

Blessings be with you as you heal.

Jenn

[Dikotomy 0]

Good luck on Friday, Jenn! I have faith that your reinstallation of the port will be a quick and uncomplicated procedure, as mine was. I felt almost normal on day two, once the anesthesia after effects had worn off, and my energy level was back on day 3! I had planned to take 5 days off work but honestly, 3 would have sufficed. After the hell I went through with the open wound, this feels like a miracle! Only bad news is that my appetite is back to normal too. Sigh.

Keep us posted on your progress!

[JennBee316 0]

Well... things didn't go as I planned and I'm an now without the LapBand. I went in Friday to have my port replaced. I was scheduled to have a scope, but really didn't think it would show erosion because I was sure my abdominal pain was gynecological. I thought I would go in, have the scope, have my port replaced, and be home that afternoon... I was wrong. They found a fairly substantial erosion and I immediately was prepped for Band removal. I had it removed Friday afternoon. Ended up with pretty serious pneumonia, nearly sent to ICU, and was in the hospital 5 days on constant oxygen and IV antibiotics (they also found a small abscess at the erosion site) . It's been a LONG road, a lot of pain, but I don't regret doing it. Doctor said we can talk about replacing it, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to travel down that road again. I have quite a while to think about it.

[Chris88 0]

I had surgery about a year ago. One of my incisions never healed. It oozed and drained. My Dr. tried to gove it time to heal itself. About 8 months in, he made the incision bigger and stitched it up. About 2 weeks after that, it swelled up and ruptured below the incision site. Instead of healing, it got worse, the hole continued to tear open and the port worked it's way almost completely out. ( It looked like a golfball sticking out of my skin.)

I had the port moved a week ago. The surgery was a simple outpatient deal, but cost me another 4 grand out of pocket and I have an enormous open wound in my stomach that I am required to stuff with gauze packing and rip out twice a day. I am pretty torn on the lapband experience at this point, and would be extremely hesitant to recommend it to anyone else.

On one hand, I've lost weight and am grateful for that, but the cost, pain, and hassle make me think that one of the other procedures may have been a better way to go.

[elcee 3,340]

Sorry that you had such a bad experience. Unfortunately with any surgery there is always a risk. Chances are that had you opted for one of the other surgeries you may have also been the unlucky person that had something go wrong and all the other WLS actually have a much higher risk of serious surgical complications.

The infection could have developed because of something that happened in surgery, in the hospital, a visitor not following proper hygiene procedures or you may in fact even unwittingly have infected yourself. There are more and more superbugs around these days that are resistant to antibiotics and they are a major problem.

[greeneyezgotti 0]

I was banded September 2010, I've lost 130lbs!!! Unfortunately, had my infected port removed a week ago :'( now being treated with high dose antibiotics, and have this awesome "gun shot" wound next to my belly bottom. Any how, I'm curious if anyone else is experiencing the pains that I am post port removal? I've been sore up under my ribs with sharp pains into my left shoulder (with deep inhalation) for a week! My doctor says its because they have to yank on the tubing quite hard to detach the port, and it may have adhered to some tissues, nerves etc that are now mad as hell at reckon havoc on me! Anyone else? Or am I a baby?