Today on MSNBC I read an article about medical litter or UDF's, "unretrieved device fragments". The title of the article is Medical litter: Device debris poses serious risk.

I have lost over 130 lbs with my wonderful band and I am enjoying greater health now than I ever have before in my adult life and I will not remove my band as long as I have no complications.

I do know however that there are three ''O" rings or grommits left in my chest cavity following my procedure. I have had cat scans and x-rays that show them. They are clearly visible.

I was told by someone in the medical field that everyone that has laproscopic procedures end up with these as they are part of what keeps the tools and scopes in place durring surgery.

My questions are these, Does everyone really have these leftovers, and does their presence pose any risk to me in the future with MRI's or any other medical procedure that I should alert my Dr.s to?

I am not trying to alarm anyone but if there needs to be education provided to we bandsters, I want everyone to know!

I was also told that its no big deal, but I must really need assurance as I keep getting this nagging "Im not so sure feeling" in my intuituon.

Please, I have asked someone at my Dr.s office and I got the impression that I was given the safe, dont stir up trouble pat answer to placate me.

Has anyone else been given this information?

I have never heard that. But I had a MRI and it was fine. So if they left them in me it doesn't effect you in having a MRI.

I guess my first question would be, what are they made of? If they are not metal it is probably not as big a risk. I never saw anything other than the band in my x-rays and I have passed through plenty of airport metal detectors since with no results.

Maybe a lot of us have them and don't even know. It is strange to think of it. I hope they are truly no risk for those that have them.

I must say, my band is a UDF that I absolutely love and hope it never goes away :0)

I asked to see it before I had it . It looks like the old round dental floss cases and it is made out of hard plastic with a softer piece in the middle where the needle is inserted to receive your fill. There is no metal in it. I asked that. I heard there are new ones coming out that will be made of that and you will be able to adjust them yourself with a heavy duty magnet. I don't think this will make it to the US though. You couldn't go through the airport because it would suck it shut.

On a post I did on 6-3-2006 I attached a photo of these 3 "grommits" and if they were plastic, I wonder if they would contrast so well as the tubing from my port is also in the photo and it is barely visible. It sounds to me wifeof46pilot that you are discribing a port. What I am talking about is totally separated from the band and is actually resting near my spine. I really hope that these pieces stay put and dont migrate to a place that could cause trouble. I was hoping that there was someone from the medical community that could address what these things are made of and if any MRI or other medical procedure could cause trouble like the article addressed, like the burning that one person experienced.

I just think that its wierd that the procedure could leave stuff behind that we are not informed about. It just feels so cavalier about the whole thing. I believe information beforehand shows respect for the patient. Just a thought...

Edited June 19, 200818 yr by Victoriana

You bring up a very valid and interesting question...when I go to the doctor next time I will be sure to ask...July 2nd is when I go! Let us know sooner please!