70 Year Old Woman Had Tummy Tuck With Complications

The following post from our forum is from a 70 year old woman who had a tummy tuck. During her recovery she developed pancreatitus, had to have her gallbladder removed, her tummy tuck incision broke open, got infected and has other problems.

Date: 12/12/2011	Submitted by: Linda

I am 70 yrs old and in August 2011 I treated myself to a tummy tuck that I have been wanting for years. I have had four children and finally felt I was ready. I had one of the top surgeon perform the surgery and felt that I knew all the risks---nothing was going to happen to me. Post-op I was fine for three months all healing well, and then one day I woke up with a severe attack of pancreatitus. After multiple tests I had to have my gallbladder removed due to a stone lodged in the duct. One week later the incision from my tummy tuck became reddened in several areas and one area broke open and drained a thick coffee cream colored fluid. It was cultured and I learned after three cultures that they "think" what is draining (per lab) resembles a Nocardia infection. I have no fever, no elevated white count, just periodic feelings that I'm getting the flu and then it passes. My abdomen has elevated red areas and are spreading despite my being on antibiotics several times. I now am on Bactrim 2x daily not getting better. Suggestions? Do I allow her to open me up again to clean out the incision? HELP!

RESPONSE
Date: 12/12/2011	Submitted by: Tanner

Linda,

Sorry about your problems.

Wow, one thing after another. Not what you expected as a result of your tummy tuck operation (assuming it was related).

As to your question regarding letting her open you up again to clean out the incision, I don't have any medical suggestions but here are a few questions to ask your surgeons and to think about. You probably already know the answers to them.

1. Are there any other antibiotics that you can try before risking another surgery?
2. Does cleaning out the incision involve another surgery or can it be done in the doctors office under local anesthesia?
3. What happens if you do nothing? Is there the possibility that it will heal on it's own without surgery?
4. If you give the antibiotics more time is there still a chance they will
work?

If your doctor tells you the only way to get better is to clean out the incision, but you still don't want to you can always seek out another doctor for a second opinion.

Good luck,

Tanner

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70 Year Old Woman Had Tummy Tuck With Complications

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