I am a healthcare provider and am scared as hell about the rate of MRSE infections in our Nation’s hospitals. I see so many post-surgical patients with Staph and it’s really frightening what they go through. I am very healthy now, besides being overweight. I was wondering what the rate of postoperative infections where in this group?

From what I hear, one of the major advantages of laparascopic surgery is its greatly lowered risk of infection. And I don't know much about MRSE infection (like, what does that stand for?), but even the worst port infections I've heard about don't seem to amount to the systemic staph infections we hear about being really dangerous. Are they the same sort of thing?

MRSA - Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus -

This bug has been around for decades and nosocomial infections are always a risk and concern. Especially to people who have seen the end results of these infections (like healthcare providers). But surgery is always a risk and you have to weigh for yourself the personal risks and rewards of having the surgery or not have the surgery.

Like Jack says, there are a few stories on LBT about infections but considering we have over 6000 members it really SEEMS to be a small amount of folks.

Just my opinion but I understand how you feel. I think about those things also. Like they say sometimes ignorance IS bliss.:biggrin1:

I had no complications with my band surgery (Rumbaut in Monterrey, Mexico...Hospital San Jose), and no complications with my DS surgery (Keshishian in Delano, CA...Delano Regional Medical Center), and no complications with my breast reduction surgery/abdominoplasty revision (Andrew Cohen, Beverly Hills, CA...St. John's Hospital)...but with my original abdominoplasty (at a VA hospital), I ended up with a resistant infection, was readmitted and had to spend an extra week or so inpatient getting IV Zosyn q6h. See how we treat our veterans? The supervising physician said that the complication rate for abdominoplasties on an MO population--I was MO at the time--was 100%. After the surgery. I mean he SAID it after, not before, the surgery.

HTH

Geez, Geezer - you've been through it, eh? I had never heard that stat on the MO population for abdominoplasties. I just survived my Christmas time Tummy Tuck, but I still have to brace myself for a Boob Lift and some much-needed Lipo in the next year. EEK - as if we didn't have enough to worry about, LOL.

And for those who don't think MRSA's are serious: Think of motorcycle dare devil Evel Knievel. He didn't die from the dozens of serious wrecks or accidents he had, or from the hundreds of broken bones and fractures. Nope, it was staph infection which weakened his immune system and eventually helped kill him. It wasn't the injuries from being in the hospital - but the staph infection that he caught from being in the hospital that damaged his liver and killed him.

And Rosie O'Donnell nearly lost her hand to a staph infection. It's serious business.

Now that everyone has been scared witless - but honestly, it's important to know all the risks. MSRA happens and it's scary but all we can do is cross our fingers and hope our medical facilities utilize the highest level of sanitation at all possible.

Good Luck and Happy Band Journeys To All...

This is something that I'm seriously taking into consideration trying to come to my decision to get the lapband. One of the questions that Dr. Jay asked me was if I had ever had a resistant staph...and I have. Received it during a scoping of my knee. 3 days after surgery I woke up in excrusiating pain all over my body on my husband's graduation day. Obviously I had to miss and my mom took me to my doctors office in tears. The dr came into my room and saw my leg, told his nurse to reschedule everyone else in the waiting room and for me to get to the hospital ER immediately. I ended up in the hospital for almost 3 weeks, got a central line put in and was sent home having to give myself IVs 3x/day of Ancef & taking Cipro for a month. Found out later that I came close to losing my leg. And this was all from a knee scope!!! I can't imagine having that kind of an issue in my gut. I've had knee issues since, but my orthapedic said he doesn't want to open me again since I've had the infection unless it was absolutely necessary ~ so for you medical people out there....does that mean that I'd have a better chance of getting it again?!!:omg:

Not a medical response, just a chronological one:

band--no infection

abdominoplasty--infection

breast reduction/abdominoplasty--no infection

DS surgery--no infection

So, after having a resistant infection, I had two more surgeries and no more problems.

My hubby and I battled MSRA a few years ago... I haven't had any problems whatsoever with my band and infections to date. I healed fine and my wounds are great. Who knows what it looks like underneath the skin :confused:

I actually went to the Dr. for a boil yesterday... (not MSRA this time thank GOD) He put me on antibiotics and hopefully all will be well.

I think the risk of MSRA is lower because many of us have surgeries done in outpatient centers or ambulatory centers. My surgeon said avoiding these types of infections is one reason he does them outside of hospitals.

A port that gets infected after the first few months, especially after one year, is more likely to be an early sign of Erosion, with the bacteria traveling up the tubing from the break in digestive tract integrity.

There is one very popular Mexican surgeon who has a HORRENDOUS early port infection rate, which obviously indicates a SERIOUS surgical suite problem that he refuses to address and deal with.

BUT, in my limited experience, this one case is an anomoly. I was sent home on a course of oral antibiotics and only experienced the amount of redness, swelling and tenderness that is NORMAL since the port is stitched into place and, as a foreign object, will have some scar tissue development as the body deals with it.

If you wish to know more, I would suggest you go to PubMed.com and do some searches and read the abstracts for findings about post-operative infections.

Theresa

Just a few more things for you to think about. I am active in a divisional hospital wide council and today we had a meeting and there was the infection control specialist. The MRSA infections are down at hospitals however the Community Acquired MRSA is up. We are seeing people in the ER who have what they think are spider bites on the legs thighs and buttocks and when tested it is Community acquired MRSA. So just a little fyi...someone with mrsa sits on the toilet with an open wound and you happen to have a scratch.......there is an open area for it to enter your body. Always use the toilet seat covers if unable to squat and hand washing is essential. The problems with the Community acquired ones are they are harder to treat and some are considered VRSA......Resistant to the Vanco which is what is used to treat MRSA. So all MRSA infections are not acquired from surgeries they are acquired in many other ways. Nursing home stays etc......have to always make sure you and your nurses doctors etc use the best clean/sterile techniques possible and always always always wash hands before and after contact with patients.

DishDiva - my WLS doctor felt the same way. Also my ENT (ear/nose/throat) surgeon prefers Ambulatory Surgery Centers for the same reason - they think shorter stays (and fewer "sick" patients rather than those just there for surgery) mean less infection. Of course they aren't a good option for those needing more intensive monitoring, surgical follow up or a handy trauma center - but for the rank and file of patients, that might be a good option.

NurseTeresa - Thank you for your additional information. Community acquired infections are certainly something to think about. When I see how many women leave the Ladies Room without even stopping to wash/wipe their hands - I'm literally sickened. It's important that we all take a part in preventing the spread of infections.

Happy Band Journeys to all...

My understanding is that about 20-40% of the general community are carriers for MRSA. These are healthy people that don't have overt signs or symptoms and probably don't know they are carriers. That is why good hygiene is so important for everyone. Think about how many times have you see a healthcare provider go from one room to the next without cleaning their stethoscope?

If you are a patient don't hesitate to ask the healthcare provider to wash their hands or clean their stethoscope or whatever you need to make you feel better about your treatment.M

Wow how fabulous for you, even past your goal, you go girl!!!

Cathy