Talk Cancer

Question:

I, too, was sewn up and had J/P drains installed until the drainage decreased and they removed them. David – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Susan Reed wrote in message <72ulrk$sm…@autumn.news.rcn.net>… > James Rice wrote in message <36525DE7.63410…@ibm.net>… >I’m sure it has been >>explained to you but they can’t just sew up the wound for the drainage is >>necessary.  It must close natually from the inside out. >Sorry to disappoint you, Jim, but my surgeon at Johns Hopkins did indeed sew >my anus area closed. I don’t remember what you call the little drain bottles >that were attached to my butt by tubes but I called them my twins. The tubes >were inserted on either side of the incision site and left in until the >fluid draining from them was changed in color and quantity. I remember the >day they were removed (about 6 days after surgery) because the most handsome >intern on the floor (all the young nurses talked about him) had the >privilege of looking at my bottom and pulling those tubes out! Of course all >I could think was ‘why me’! Of all the procedures that could have been done >and of all the patients that needed attention I had to get ‘Mr. Handsome’ to >perform the most unflattering procedure on me. Just another little item I’ll >always remember >I did ask my surgeon why he was not allowing the wound to heal open like I >had heard and he said that recently more and more doctors were doing it this >way because healing could be achieved and be quicker at that. At first the >site looked awful, the line of stitches was very crooked and lumpy. >Eventually everything healed and looked much better. >Susan R. >Manassas, VA

Response:

I wish my surgeon had left mine open. I had to have it opened about six weeks later when the abscess which most likely had begun after surgery got so big that it put pressure on my bladder. I was so sore I couldn’t walk. I was feeling sick in the stomach. There was a large empty space for the crud to collect in so it didn’t really show itself for several weeks. Even though I was most definitely being affected by it in the mean time, I attributed it to post surgical weakness and figured that time would make things better!  After it was sliced back open I had to have home health nurses in twice a day for about three more weeks to maintain the packing. I think I would have preferred the slow steady healing from the beginning! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Barba…@my-dejanews.com wrote: > This whole issue of to sew the butt closed or not to sew the butt closed > seems to be decided by Dr. preference. Some leave it open, others don’t. Like > most surgical procedures, there doesn’t appear to be ONE RIGHT WAY. Surgeons > each do things a little differently. > Mine sewed my butt shut and it healed rather quickly. My abdominal incision > was the one that got infected and had to be popped back open. That one was > left open to heal from the inside out and we had to pack it twice daily in > saline soaked gauze. I went back to work with my open tummy full of gauze. > Not fun. > Barbara > In article <72ulrk$sm…@autumn.news.rcn.net>, >   "Susan Reed" <noe…@erols.com> wrote: > >  James Rice wrote in message <36525DE7.63410…@ibm.net>… > > I’m sure it has been > > >explained to you but they can’t just sew up the wound for the drainage is > > >necessary.  It must close natually from the inside out. > > Sorry to disappoint you, Jim, but my surgeon at Johns Hopkins did indeed sew > > my anus area closed. I don’t remember what you call the little drain bottles > > that were attached to my butt by tubes but I called them my twins. The tubes > > were inserted on either side of the incision site and left in until the > > fluid draining from them was changed in color and quantity. I remember the > > day they were removed (about 6 days after surgery) because the most handsome > > intern on the floor (all the young nurses talked about him) had the > > privilege of looking at my bottom and pulling those tubes out! Of course all > > I could think was ‘why me’! Of all the procedures that could have been done > > and of all the patients that needed attention I had to get ‘Mr. Handsome’ to > > perform the most unflattering procedure on me. Just another little item I’ll > > always remember > > I did ask my surgeon why he was not allowing the wound to heal open like I > > had heard and he said that recently more and more doctors were doing it this > > way because healing could be achieved and be quicker at that. At first the > > site looked awful, the line of stitches was very crooked and lumpy. > > Eventually everything healed and looked much better. > > Susan R. > > Manassas, VA > — > Barbara Skoglund (I) > Barbara.A.Skoglun…@tc.umn.edu > ———–== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==———- > http://www.dejanews.com/       Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own

Response:

Ouch! I developed an infection there — it didn’t show up immediately since it had a lot of empty space to fill in before it caused major problems. Since a surgeon had to open a huge abscess it took quite a while to heal, but I was on the road to recovery in a couple of months. I think I would be tempted to check with another doctor about the problem if I was bothered as long as you are. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -wdoran wrote: > It’s been over two years since having surgery and receiving an illeostomy > due to Chron’s Disease. Having had a complete colectomy, I’m still bleeding > slightly from my butt. I go to the surgeon periodically (who no longer > charges me the co-pay) and he puts some silver nitrate on it (thank you very > much =:0 ) and tells me it’s a very difficult wound to heal. Seems to me > like this should be over with by now. Has anyone else had any experiences > with a long healing backside?

Response:

>. Seems to me >like this should be over with by now. Has anyone else had any experiences >with a long healing backside?

Sure seems like two years is way too long!! As a nurse, the first thing I think of to help the healing of that area is air and heatlamp.  If you could expose  (  :O  ) your butt to air and lamp for 10-15 minutes two or three times daily, it sure can’t hurt and sure might help. For the lamp,  just hang a drop light over area, not close enough to burn of course, just close enough that you can feel the heat.   Another idea is warm sitz baths, which will feel wonderful to the area, and encourage blood flow to help healing. Have a good one, Joy

Response:

I too had a very slow healing perenium after the removal of my anus due to rectal cancer.  The drainage, although it did taper off, continued for 12 months from when I had my surgery.  Due to discomfort in that area while sitting, I would start squirming and then the wound would open and start bleeding heavily. I did wear a woman’s sanitary pad from when I left the hospital until the wound finally quit draining.  Damn, but that was miserable but it did save alot of clothes, let alone furniture.  I’m just not built to wear one of those things. I had an appointment to visit my surgeon every 4 to 6 weeks during that time frame at which time he applied the silver nitrate just one time in the beginning.  I suffered so much from that excruciating pain that I refused to allow him to do that again.  He then suggested taking showers as often as I could, I was out of work on disability this whole time, and to KEEP THE AREA CLEAN.  (I replaced the shower head in our shower with the kind that is on a hose so that I could direct a stream of water into the wound.)  Also, lightly sprinkle an antibacterial powder on the wound site to alleviate any infection after each shower.  This my wife did because there was just no way that I could get into a position to sprinkle it on myself. The wound started out being about the size of a quarter but at about 6 months it was down to about a nickel and kept getting smaller.  I’m sure it has been explained to you but they can’t just sew up the wound for the drainage is necessary.  It must close natually from the inside out.  My doctor told me that if there was no appreciable closing of the wound at about a year, he would consider reopening the area and starting the procedure over again.  I guess this scared my system because the last couple months there was a great deal of healing to the point of no more ‘raw’ flesh so that he could use the silver nitrate and it didn’t hurt, but it sure did do the trick as to the final closing of the wound. I was back to work 1/2 time for the next 2 months building up my tolerance to sitting and at the beginning of the following month, 14 months after surgery I was able to return to full days. Don’t give up hope.  Sometimes it just takes longer for some than for others. Hope I have been able to provide some help.  I don’t know of anyone else who took so long to recover.  Just know, that you will recover. Best wishes, Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -wdoran wrote: > It’s been over two years since having surgery and receiving an illeostomy > due to Chron’s Disease. Having had a complete colectomy, I’m still bleeding > slightly from my butt. I go to the surgeon periodically (who no longer > charges me the co-pay) and he puts some silver nitrate on it (thank you very > much =:0 ) and tells me it’s a very difficult wound to heal. Seems to me > like this should be over with by now. Has anyone else had any experiences > with a long healing backside?

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Response:

 James Rice wrote in message <36525DE7.63410…@ibm.net>…

I’m sure it has been >explained to you but they can’t just sew up the wound for the drainage is >necessary.  It must close natually from the inside out.

Sorry to disappoint you, Jim, but my surgeon at Johns Hopkins did indeed sew my anus area closed. I don’t remember what you call the little drain bottles that were attached to my butt by tubes but I called them my twins. The tubes were inserted on either side of the incision site and left in until the fluid draining from them was changed in color and quantity. I remember the day they were removed (about 6 days after surgery) because the most handsome intern on the floor (all the young nurses talked about him) had the privilege of looking at my bottom and pulling those tubes out! Of course all I could think was ‘why me’! Of all the procedures that could have been done and of all the patients that needed attention I had to get ‘Mr. Handsome’ to perform the most unflattering procedure on me. Just another little item I’ll always remember I did ask my surgeon why he was not allowing the wound to heal open like I had heard and he said that recently more and more doctors were doing it this way because healing could be achieved and be quicker at that. At first the site looked awful, the line of stitches was very crooked and lumpy. Eventually everything healed and looked much better. Susan R. Manassas, VA

Response:

This whole issue of to sew the butt closed or not to sew the butt closed seems to be decided by Dr. preference. Some leave it open, others don’t. Like most surgical procedures, there doesn’t appear to be ONE RIGHT WAY. Surgeons each do things a little differently. Mine sewed my butt shut and it healed rather quickly. My abdominal incision was the one that got infected and had to be popped back open. That one was left open to heal from the inside out and we had to pack it twice daily in saline soaked gauze. I went back to work with my open tummy full of gauze. Not fun. Barbara In article <72ulrk$sm…@autumn.news.rcn.net>,   "Susan Reed" <noe…@erols.com> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->  James Rice wrote in message <36525DE7.63410…@ibm.net>… > I’m sure it has been > >explained to you but they can’t just sew up the wound for the drainage is > >necessary.  It must close natually from the inside out. > Sorry to disappoint you, Jim, but my surgeon at Johns Hopkins did indeed sew > my anus area closed. I don’t remember what you call the little drain bottles > that were attached to my butt by tubes but I called them my twins. The tubes > were inserted on either side of the incision site and left in until the > fluid draining from them was changed in color and quantity. I remember the > day they were removed (about 6 days after surgery) because the most handsome > intern on the floor (all the young nurses talked about him) had the > privilege of looking at my bottom and pulling those tubes out! Of course all > I could think was ‘why me’! Of all the procedures that could have been done > and of all the patients that needed attention I had to get ‘Mr. Handsome’ to > perform the most unflattering procedure on me. Just another little item I’ll > always remember > I did ask my surgeon why he was not allowing the wound to heal open like I > had heard and he said that recently more and more doctors were doing it this > way because healing could be achieved and be quicker at that. At first the > site looked awful, the line of stitches was very crooked and lumpy. > Eventually everything healed and looked much better. > Susan R. > Manassas, VA

– Barbara Skoglund (I) Barbara.A.Skoglun…@tc.umn.edu ———–== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==———- http://www.dejanews.com/       Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own    

Response:

It’s been over two years since having surgery and receiving an illeostomy due to Chron’s Disease. Having had a complete colectomy, I’m still bleeding slightly from my butt. I go to the surgeon periodically (who no longer charges me the co-pay) and he puts some silver nitrate on it (thank you very much =:0 ) and tells me it’s a very difficult wound to heal. Seems to me like this should be over with by now. Has anyone else had any experiences with a long healing backside?

Response: