Problems after surgery

B

barbeque sauce

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I am writing for my 86 year old mom. She had hernia surgery on 3/17/08, it became infected and she was then put on antibiotics. The surgery was done thru her naval and she has had some bleeding ever since, 1-2 drops of blood a day oozing from her naval. In addition, she has felt nauscous ever since surgery. She has returned to her surgeon twice, the last time just 7 days ago and he told her that everything is healing nicely and that if the blood concerned her, they could back into surgery and sew her naval closed. In response to her nausea, he suggested she see a gastroentologist. She was not planning on having that done. Last night, she pulled a 1 inch in diameter loop of green thread from her naval with pus and blood on it. Of course, she is very upset.

My concern is what was this thread doing inside of her, I assume they used dissolving stitches. Is this a fragment of something else that may still be inside her. Or should these stitches have remained in tact? Is her nausea related to this foreign object being inside of her for 5 months?

I am considering a second opinion and do not want her returning to the surgeon. How do I go about finding a doctor for a second opinion, I assume I should look for another surgeon. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi Karin-

I can't answer all your questions, but sounds like the thread or maybe even still some other remnents of something are irritating her navel and causing infection and pus. Obviously blood form her navel and seeing pus is not normal at all, especially after all this time.

I wonder if a dermatologist could treat her topically? Now that the green thread is out, maybe this will clear up? You could try another surgeon. I'm not sure why she is having nausea issues.

Hope this clears up. Best wishes to you and your mom.
Leea
 
No, my mom is the original "health nut". She is off antiobiotics and was off pain meds almost immediately.
 
I'd just make an appointment with a regular doctor, obviously this So Called Surgeon thinks this is normal to have pus and blood coming from a wound. I think NOT! She needs to have this addressed. Hopefully you can go to the appointment too. I'm not too sure if I'd take any advise from the Dr. that did the surgery. Does your Mom have a regular Doctor or maybe she can get in to see yours? This is Not Normal. She probably nauseated from an infection or something left inside her. Is her temperature normal? Diana
 
The surgeon's office called me back and said they were glad that I called. The thread I described is one of their sutures. Nurse said that some people have a reaction to the sutures and the body treats it as a foreign object and tries to get rid of it by either finding an opening, her naval, or causing an infection which would eventually come to the surface. She said the name of the stitch / suture is called Ethibond and most likely from a subcutaneous stitch where there is less fatty tissue to absorb the stitch. Has anyone heard of this?
 
Now that I think about it, I have heard that some people have had reactions to sutures.

What shocked me was that they didn't call her after she had already shown the doctor that sore. They should of had her number for goodness sakes. And the way that doctor acted when she told him about the problem was something else. (shaking my head!)

Prayers for you Mom. I hope she can finally get on the road to recovery.
Diana
 
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