I have Crohn's disease and am currently dealing with two fistula's. Surgical intervention is the last resort so I'm currently on immunosuppressants and steroids and a very restricted died to try and give my body a chance to heal itself. Seems to be going well so far.
Our daughter had a c-section, apparently the incision became infected and went undiagnosed. It wasn’t until a fistula erupted it was diagnosed. As a result she went septic and died. This should have never happened.
My boyfriend had this, was super scary, the small intestine attached to itself and the digestive juices ate through the hole and sepsis here we come, had 6 drain bags that time. He was complicated Chronic Pancreatitis, he actually died from a liver abscess misdiagnosed as a tumor. He was in hospital during C-19 and they said that they couldn't treat it and with his hx of liver damage it was going to be a complex surgery. I told them he does not have liver disease he has a blocked hepatic artery that decreases blood supply to the liver and they cant operate on it because the pancreas is too large and hes a bleed risk and he most likely has an abscess for the 5th time in 6 years. By the time they got him prepped for surgery he crashed. Super septic, abscess rupture and bled out. Miserable death but life with pancreatitis I'm sure was worse. You should do a segment on the Pancreas, the demon that it can become. Love your work
So sorry for your loss, for the amount of his pain you had to witness unable to help... So sorry for a life taken too soon that probably in other circumstances could have been saved :( I hope You& his family are able to heal.
Oh my goodness. I can’t imagine what he went through, and as someone who loved and cared for him, feeling helpless. Bless your heart and may your memories of the good times you shared together see you through. God bless💞
Abdominal surgeries can have so many complicated... One of my best friends died in 2020 at 37 (we've been friends since we were 3). We both are/were chronically ill and have had multiple surgeries each, but not for years. She died unexpectedly from abdominal scar tissue randomly tearing and hemorrhaging one day. She was probably the kindest, most selfless, brilliant person I've ever known and ever will know. She was my kids godmother for a reason. ) Miss you forever Carol 💔
My step dad was in the hospital for 6 months following abdominal surgery and when he finally did come home he was on a TPN system with an ostomy bag. I was the one helping him with everything like a home nurse as a senior in highschool. Hes doing much better now but still struggles with the amount of scar tissue in the area, as he also had surgery to reverse the stoma and also had drains in place after the first surgery. This time was probably the scariest time in my life and I appreciate the spreading of awareness around surgeries like these.
Hello, I'm 47 years old, and in the last 20 years, I have had 9 small bowel surgeries. 8 out of 9 surgeries were small bowel obstructions from scare tissue. I get really sick a few times a year. This has caused me to lose multiple jobs, friends, depression and the list goes on. Has anyone else gone through this? The video just helped me get an idea of what may have happened. Thanks, Shawn
Right there with ya buddy, but at only 35 yo. Never had any surgeries until a severe bowel blockage due to adhesions nearly killed me. Now 3 surgeries later, they say nothing can be done, and to just handle it when it happens. If sucks
I also am 47 can relate to your comment so much. Literally every day I am affected by my issues that are still unknown after 13 hellacious months. It all started 2 months after emergency gallbladder removal. I'm in 6th year of remission from NH Lymphoma and I can say this journey makes all that seem like a walk in the park. We just have to keep searching for answers & treatment and hope it doesn't kill us first. Update - rectal prolapse acting as an obstruction. Surgery to repair & remove excess colon coming up in July. In momth 15 of this hell now (June). Mentally & physically so tired. Ready for relief.
Yessir, I can relate. Pretty much every time I need abdominal surgery, I get adhesions and blockages afterward that are immensely painful and life threatening. It started when I was 16 and now I’m 35. Facing a major surgery soon. Wish me luck.
The problem is that the more abdominal surgery the more likely they will get adhesion and doctors can't do anything about it. I had a hysterectomy 20 months ago and as a result of that bowel obstruction due to adhesion 17 months later. One day out of nowhere I had severe , unbearable pain in my stomach. Went to A & E and they did an exploratory laparotomy. I am not sure how to prevent this happens again because there is no warning till it happens it seems.
My son has Crohn's and after a re-section in the small intestine he developed a fistula. I didn't understand exactly what a fistula was as the surgeon described it but you certainly explained it very well. Thank you. In my son's case, the surgeon was able to repair the fistula successfully.
I have a situation that happened quite a few years ago that I have never understood, but is along the line of this video. My daughter has severe Ulcerative Colitis. It was decided after so much illness that she should have her entire colon removed and a J-Pouch made to collect feces as opposed to a bag. She was 23yrs old at the time and a newlywed. The surgery went fine and then in less than 48 hours she was in pain that could not be managed by any narcotic the hospital had. She asked me to pray that God would please take her because she “couldn’t take it anymore. The next morning I talked to the doctor and said something is not right, please fix it. They did a CAT scan and said it looked like maybe some blood had pooled and he would go in and clean it up. Long story short, her Pancreas had burst and she came out of that second surgery on a ventilator and we were prepared, by the doctors, for the worst. All they could do was induce a coma and do every bodily function possible to keep her still and hope the pancreas repaired itself??? They said that this sometimes, but not often happens after surgery. I was at her side for a month in the hospital. She recovered and later had to have a _____? And has had a “bag” for a few years. She is very healthy now and very fit. (Again for about 10 years)No one would ever know her story by just meeting her. Medicine and the body are amazing!! But I would love to know the connection to surgery on this one. There was NO blaming or lawsuits or anything to where your thoughts on this would cause problems or whatever. Just the title of this video brought me back to wondering the connection to surgery. It was a very very scary time. Q: HOW IS THE PANCREAS CONNECTED TO THE COLECTOMY? I would love to know more about this. I watch this channel very often and love it. Now I’m hoping its my turn. Thank you. ✨
In 2018, I had neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer removed via Whipple Procedure. A complication from my surgery was pancreatic fistula. I've been through my fair share of painful events like gall stones and tongue surgery (stitches in your tongue is hell) but nothing holds a candle to the pain of that fistula. My pancreas was resected to secrete pancreatic juices into my jejunum but this made my little pancreas very very angry. Pancreatic fluid filled my abdomen. The three drain tubes that were sticking out of my body couldn't collect it very well but the fluid started oozing from around the drain tube opening in my skin. The rest settled down into my lower abdomen where it digested me from the inside. It felt like someone dropped two red hot irons on my pelvis. If I had known what I was getting into with Whipple I may have elected to try shrinking the tumor first. I had no idea the surgery is one of the most complicated procedures to date. It's really a crappy feeling when you're told you need a surgery to survive but when you get the surgery all you want to do is die because the pain is so bad. It's better now but I still have severe episodic pain from the fistula. All of this to say, yes, I agree. Abdominal fistula is extremely painful. Extremely. My heart goes out to anyone who has ever had the displeasure.
I'm totally curious, if you're comfortable answering, is the fistula is still there? Or did you get another surgery to remove it? Hope everything is going okay x
@@ellismcg4754 It must have corrected itself I guess. I'm not really sure. I actually didn't fully understand what a fistula was back then. They didn't operate on me again thankfully. They just supported me while I healed. I had an extra drain tube placed where the fluid was building up in my lower abdomen. I stayed in the hospital for 6 more days because of it. They said my pancreas was really agitated from having 2/3 of it cut out so it leaked digestive enzymes and stuff down into my pelvic area where it digested and irritated all the structures in that region. I cramped so hard it tore all the muscles to shreds. I couldn't even stand up. I had 30 staples down my belly too and a lot less digestive organs than when I started. I got better but honestly it took about a year to stabilize. My body went through a lot of changes as my healing progressed. I'm kinda normal now. The surgery is called Whipple Procedure. If you have a morbid curiosity like myself, you'll find it pretty interesting. I call my post-Whipple digestive system Frankentummy. :P
A Whipple is a bear of a surgery. And survival percentages aren't that great, I am glad you made it through and are here with us. A pancreatic leak or fistula is one of the worst, I think. The pancreas creates enzymes for digestion and when those enzymes are in your abdominal cavity, they do their job and digest. Unfortunately, it is your own tissue it is digesting, which is why you had such immense pain and why you needed those drains, to get as much out as possible. Again, I am glad you made it through that ordeal.
Great video. I'm a retired heath care provider -- your explanations were on target. My first patient had 5 fistulae, all from intestinal problems. She was in very poor health before the initial surgery, which contributed to her delayed healing. Keeping the skin around her fistulae exit was a real challenge. Thank God for Ostomy nurses!
I was born with Spina Bifida (myelomeningocele). I was also born with a rectovaginal fistula that was corrected when I was a few days old. I would love to see a video either on Spina Bifida or the fistula I mentioned above. I am 56 years old and neither have been explained well in my opinion. I have an overactive bladder and a sluggish colon. There's quite a difference between telling someone something and showing them a video about the subject. I really enjoy watching your videos. Keep it up!
Wow this helps in understanding the cascade of events that caused my mom to die. Started with cancer of the uterine liner, treated by having g a hysterectomy, which led to fistulas between the large intestine and bladder, which led to severe UTI’s. Then surgery to correct the fistulas, adding a colostomy bag while having a UTI, which led to Sepsis. A month in the ICU, recover enough to go home then only to have part of the small intestine die and rupture, another surgery to remove part of the small intestine but that didn’t stop the septic shock which finally got her. In hindsight, the hospital that performed the fistula surgery should have better treated the UTI from the beginning and had her in heavy antibiotics the moment she checked in. It might have stopped the cascade right at that point. Advocate for yourself and loved ones, sometimes hospitals overlook issues staring them in the face.
I hope you sued someone involved in her care. It sounds like a lot of negligence, which happens far too often with women's abdominal or reproductive area issues. I'm sorry for your loss.
Such a great visual! I can totally 'see' what was going on inside my daughter now. My daughter (26yrs old) recently had a colon rectosigmoid resection, due to colon cancer (G2, pT3, pN2b). 4wks after surgery & 1st chemo, she became extremely ill. The long & short is, her intestinal tract was fusing. I thank her Drs *everyday* for saving her life. Not just from the cancer but from the fistula as well.
My brother had colon cancer, had a piece of his colon removed (but they were able to leave his anus etc intact, so he was expected to be able to function without a bag). And then he got a fistula. We only found that out at the very end of this (he's still alive, so all's well that ends well, I suppose). All he knew is that he was sore. He complained to his oncologist, and the oncologist pretty much directly told him, "You're always complaining" (as in not appreciative enough of the great oncology you're getting). Eventually he went to a different surgeon - his wife's Crohns specialist, who was so old he was just about frail by this time. That doctor checked him out properly, found he had a fist sized lump of calcified tissue somewhere in there, and the fistula. Digestive juices would leak through, attack the tissues, cause a scar, cause it to close up, and then it would start to leak through all over again. Had another operation, had to have the bag this time, and he's almost back to being himself again now (it's a few years after). For doctors, I suppose the moral of the story is that if the patient says he has pain, there might just be a good reason for him thinking so. (The surgery that solved the problem only came when to me he looked like he was busy dying.) My sister-in-laws view is that even if you think the patient is just a bit of a hypochondriac, then treat the hypochondria (or refer him to someone who can). Hypochondria is a sickness as well (if there's still such a diagnosis).
Give your brother a big hug from me,will ya? Doctors in my country basically treat all patients,onco or not, like that, you have to fight for everything from basic follow-up to proper pain relief so as someone that travelled (and still keeps on dragging my feet) trough this path - I kindly ask of you to deliver said hug with utmost respect and the best of wishes.
@@mariaduszak9064 Thanks. I hope your own journey also eventually has a happy ending. Sounds like you're having a rough time of it. Please ask someone you know to give you a hug on my behalf, too.
@@rebeccaainslie4637 True! So the "treat the hypochondria" approach falls short, still. Until the pain of the complaining patient has been _disproved_ a doctor should treat it as if it's real pain.
An anatomy instructor was once asked what was the best way to heal a broken tendon. The instructor replied "Don't. The best way to treat it is to never break it." He went on to explain it's such a lengthy recovery process that it's best to avoid those injuries. Videos like these may leave many feeling in a similar way that the best way to avoid complications from surgery is not having surgery, unless it's absolutely necessary.
I kinda hear the "avoid surgerys unless necessary" from a video in wich a doctor talked , that was always on my mind but now with this video I really UNDERSTAND
Interesting I'm so thin and I carried three kids and my youngest I carried so low that I broke it tendon in my hip and I have to walk I've tried all kinds of things and I was told to just leave it alone the people don't understand it hurts so bad I'll double over I trip and fall and can't get up I try to stay off of it as much as I can
Did tendons in my ankle really badly in 2013. I still have problems with it. The doc in the ER said I would’ve had better recovery outcomes if I had broken the bone, they can do something for that.
Wow! I wish I had this video in 2017. Mom was on TPN for 18 months, right up to her corrective surgery. Multiple septic episodes, intense rehab in skilled care. She finally got her life back in 2020 only to succumb to COVID-19. We feel so cheated😭
Thank you for this timely post. I developed a fistula last year between the diverticula and my bladder. Thanks to COVID, the hospital refused to do the surgery. After going through the ER, the first surgery removed the fistula (which was also attaching to my abdominal wall) and about a foot of my colon. Sadly, I went septic a week later and had to be rushed back into surgery and I awoke with an ileostomy. It was finally reversed on 2/22. So far, so good!
I had no idea that a fistula between bladder and colon was so common. Mine required removal of about 12" of my colon as well. Luckily I had no colostomy. Not even temporary. My surgeon was amazing and that was over 25 yrs ago. Im sure methods have improved since then. Luckily Ive had no issues since recovering from the surgery. Best of luck to you.
I find it extremely inconsiderate of someone who has had a distressing event in hospital performed on them. Whilst it was very serious for you and you have a way to go to full health. As a trained nurse I have had quite a few people who were very frightened after hearing the reports made by people who recently have had serious operations. Two of my patients, one a lad of 23 was to have a complicated rectal and abdominal surgery, Not life threatening but could be serious and the patient was to listen to the surgeon and treating doctor. Apparently the young man did have concerns and many what ifs. He was not able enough to cope with the 'what ifs' of his operation. He left hospital before surgery and his body was found in a park near his home. It was too much to bare. So please be careful what you share, where and to whom. We can all see things differently.
Nearly a year after I had an emergency cholecystectomy (gall bladder removed), I was having increasing pain about 15 mins to half an hour before feeling the urge to "open my bowels". Was having a laparoscopy related to infertility issues, and I mentioned this pain - while it wasn't any worse than a momentary period cramp, it was increasing in intensity. After the laparoscopy, they told me that the removal of my gall bladder (and the "shared duct") had healed with the normal scar tissue - which had adhered to my large bowel causing this pain every time a "motion" passed through. They "fixed" it on the spot, saying it was fortunate I'd mentioned it to them as it could have led to a serious complication, although it wasn't that serious then, just painful. No further problems (and IVF overcame my infertility)!
@@Bonnielikescats I had never had any signs or symptoms of gall stones at all. One day and night of mild pain increasing to moderate pain, then increasing over the second night to extreme pain. Husband drove me to GP, couldn't stand upright properly. Ambulance into hospital. Ultrasound confirmed a gall stone lodged in the "shared duct" that was 1.9cm diameter. The surgeon wasn't available until the next morning so they sedated me until then. After the op, the surgeon told me they had to remove the gall bladder as it had started to necrose (death of tissue) and they couldn't save it. He wagged his finger at me telling me I'd left it too long before seeing someone about it - to which I told him I had no idea I had gall stones, and had been without sleep for two days and nights and couldn't think of anything aside from the pain. The first days' pain was equivalent to my "normal" period pain - just in a different area. Women are told early on to "just deal with it", so I did. He then told that at first sight of it, he was scared it would burst before he could get it removed, which would not have been good for me. He did understand what a lot of women face and deal with on a monthly basis, but he told me I have to learn to roar to make myself heard, especially if it is something new or different. I put that into practice at my yearly gyne (after the aforementioned laparoscopy that didn't show anything) appointment (because he was SOOOO sure I didn't have endometriosis, PCOS or anything else wrong with me) and got a referral to IVF which diagnosed both those conditions and a third "abnormality" as well.
@@LynHannan also something to note is that the human nervous system is not created equally between genders, human females have more nerves than human males, meaning that they're more likely to feel intense pain compared to their counterparts of the opposite sex.
We have the same operation, but my cholecystectomy was not the problem that made me be transferred from ward to ICU a day after surgery and a second operation on the same site two days later. 🤦 Apparently, during the first operation, as they were trying to remove my gallbladder, they accidentally sliced a piece of my liver(not exactly sure which part of it), which caused internal bleeding. Outward, I was complaining I don't feel well, not in pain, but generally just not good. Until my BP and heart rate almost flatlined. They had to reopen the stitches they made along my right ribcage(not sure that's how you describe where it is😅), and slice thesame length the left ribcage to apparently siphon out all the leaked blood and patch up my liver.🤷 Now almost four years later and an inverted V-cut on my abdomen and three holes for the draining tube later(which had been closed later), all I feel is bloatedness and slight diarrhea sometimes. Not to mention the pain I feel in my spine where the needle from the general anaesthesia was jammed into thrice before they could administer. 🤦 Coz why not? Why not make it more worse than what it really was that time, right? 😅🤷 But thankfully still alive after all that. Thank God He still thought me worthy to live and enjoy time with my four year old daughter.❤️
This brings back memories for me-diverticulitis, abdominal pain, PICC line, TPN, bowel resection. Not being able to eat or drink anything was difficult but I was able to avoid having a colostomy bag. Frustrating that two doctors diagnosed stomach flu even when my temp spiked to over 104. Very interesting video.
This is the best explanation I have ever heard or read on Fistulae including from Surgeons at specialist hospitals. This is important work. Thank you for using your expertise to help us better understand the conditions we live with.
Thank you for explaining human anatomy in such an interactive and informative way! Also, thank you to the donors for once having made the decision to make their bodies available for all of us to learn.
This very thing happened to me when I was undergoing surgery to have as much cancer as possible cut out. It's the worst pain I've ever felt, to the point that it's a different kind of pain, it was literally on another level I've never felt before. 91 days of TPN and the nurses came in every two hours with towels to soak up whatever had leaked from my abdominal area.
I feel ya 100%. I had pancreatic fistula following pancreatic cancer surgery. When you say it's pain on another level I know what you mean. It doesn't *just* hurt really bad. It literally sent me into some kind of trance where I couldn't understand what people were saying. I couldn't stand, sit, or lay down because moving even the slightest nanometer brought a flare of ungodly, searing agony. The nurse had to cut my underwear off and place a urine suction device on me to urinate because I couldn't move. They gave me all the dilaudid and oxy they were allowed to give me but nothing made it better. I can't even talk about the nasogastric tube. That, all on its own, was pure torture. I couldn't imagine having 91 days of TPN. My heart goes out to you!
I was primary carer for my husband when he developed a fistula. It took one to two surgeries per year to clean out infection pockets trying to get it to heal. Ten years in and we have graduated from needing surgeries. He has a permanent opening and related incontinence, but no more infection and no stoma.
As someone going trough "these things" on my own...I just want to say, you are truly an angel, an inspiration and an example of what it means to truly LOVE someone. I know what it would mean for me to have someone by my bedside when everything's seemingly falling apart so I can only imagine how much You mean to Him. How lucky of him to find an angel to call his own.Bless You and thank You, for giving me hope that one day maybe I won't walk alone too...
@@mariaduszak9064 Maria, know that you are not alone in not having anyone to support you during happiness, good health OR a health CRISIS. This too is my station in life and it is scary. Fortunately, I rely on my faith to keep my courage up. Do I really want to go through the misery of heroic surgeries that may do additional damage? Blessings, and peace. Hope your situation improves. As for me, I'm too old for a new future and as long as my mind is sound, my good memories remind me to be grateful for life and it's blessings.😊💕
So I was born prematurely and with prune belly as well as VACTRL syndrome. Among other crazy complications. I have had a colostomy and a mitrofanoff stoma. As I have lived and grown I have also added end stage renal disease and a suprapubic catheter hole. I’ve been dialyzing for about 6.5 years and on March 8th received a new kidney from my mother. Well as I am typing this, I am 29 years old and sitting at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore still recovering from that transplant. At first the kidney worked great. But quickly my body sent in antibodies and now it’s less productive. Today I began the first of 5 plasma Pharisees treatments to hopefully rid my body of these antibodies so that all the anti reject meds can begin to work correctly. I really like how you explained all that because I just kept thinking “this is all about me!” I also had a TE fistula issue and so when you showed that it helped me to finally know what that was. I have loved learning about medical things and stumbling on your channel has helped me so much to understand more about who I am physically and how I work so thanks for making a vid like this. It was so insightful.
My mother had colon cancer that spread to her liver. They removed the tumors and most of her liver. That caused scar tissue to close off her small intestine. In a second surgery the DR had to cut through her diaphragm to correct that issue. The fluids from her liver then ate through her diaphragm and formed a fistula with her lung. She was coughing up bright neon yellow bile which ate up 1/2 her lung so needed another surgery to remove it. After all of this she was too weak and died three weeks later. THANK YOU for doing such a great job explaining how all of this happened. You guys do a fantastic job. THANK YOU
This was very informative, but I’ve had a hysterectomy, c-section, gallbladder removed, and an appendectomy so this is kind of scary. I do have trust in my doctors and have had no complications. I’ve also had a collapsed lung and a pacemaker. I’ve a total of 20+ surgeries since I was 18, I’m now 64. I’m so glad I’ve had the wonderful doctors and healthcare workers taking care of me. I’ve watched several of your videos and they are all very informative. Thank-you for making these videos and sharing your knowledge.
@@machshfive Dear God!!! Can you share the names of your doctors? I've completed 6 chemo cycles, had a decent (not perfect) CT scan & think now is the perfect time to go doctor shopping. I've been in Florida since Nov 2020 & was hospitalized at the end of May 2021. I didn't have any doctors lined up when I was diagnosed & many PCPs here don't want to take on new patients who are getting or heading for chemo so now's the time.
After having my gallbladder out (11 years ago), I am still dealing with adhesions and fistula. I've had 3 corrective surgeries, and we're at the point of managing the symptoms. I will likely lose parts of my colon as I get older. So I 1000% agree that this is the worst case scenario and would not wish this on my worst enemy.
Thank you for this video! I have Crohn's and have had fistulae after operations in the past. What I've learned that might benefit your relative who also suffers from fistulae: Taking vitamin E helps the healing process. I had really bad scar tissue after each operation and eventually got fistulae for a few years. Then I learned that the body needs more vitamin E during the healing process, and I tested taking some supplements after an operation - with great results! If I need another operation, I start taking vitamin E a few days before (because I am aware of the negative effects of overdosing vitamin E), and I continue to take it for around more 2 months after the op date. My scar now looks really healthy, it's flexible, and I have not had any fistulae since I've started taking vitamin E during the healing process. It's worth a try for your relative too! I'm wishing them the best of luck!
Hey guys, I just want to send a big thank you for this particular video. My dad is going through this right now and not doing well. I needed this to feel comfortable with his medical plan. Again, thank you. The abdominal fistula portion is right on.
I was born with 6 intestinal blockages and at 1 day old I had 50% of my small intestine removed. I was lucky enough to survive without the need of a stoma. However my entire abdominal area is a wall of fistula, everything is connected to everything. It is so severe I have been told that if I fell pregnant there would be a possibility my organs would rip apart as the baby grew and could possibly be life threatening, at the very least I would be very high risk and bed ridden for a lot of the gestational period. This vid was very informative. Thank you.
Great topic. I had severe abdominal pain from diverticulitis about 12 years ago which led up to a bowel obstruction & then exploratory surgery. Afterwards I was told the symptoms would return at some point in the future, & they did several years later accompanied by a colovesical fistula (which caused my bladder & colon to fuse together mixing the contents of each - not a pretty sight when urinating).. I then had a surgery to reseal my bladder, etc then after a few months my sigmoid colon was removed which finally brought an end to the diverticulitis issues.. thankfully I had the best possible outcome (no bag) but the healing process was very difficult & painful, including self-administered injections thru a PICC line & a urinary catheter.. since recovering from all of that I haven't had any other abdominal problems.. I am grateful for modern medicine
I too had the bladder to colon attach together. Thought to be from a Large Diverticulitis I had about a year and a half prior. They treated it with IV Levi-quin which I reacted to and it stopped my heart twice. Thanks to an alert nurse who saw me collapse onto the floor and started CPR right away. Took ten minutes to get it started again. They moved me to ICU and heart stopped again. They then induced a chemical coma to allow the heart to rest better and start working better on its own. I was then shipped to a VA hospital 300 miles away to recover from both the heart stopping and the Diverticulitis. But not using Levi-quine. 7 weeks in the hospital. Then about a year and a half later, I started getting strange stuff out when I peed. also what I called Dick Farts. I was sent back to the VA hospital to have laparoscopic surgery to fix it. That was a success. they removed about 9" or so of my colon. I have not had a complication since. that all was back in 2012-2013
My 79 year old relative had a fistula from the large intestines to his bladder. His fever rain 104+ at the beginning. He spent 9 weeks on strong antibiotics without food or water (5 weeks hospitalized). During those last few weeks, he had surgery to remove 6 inches of the large intestines without having the bag installed. I knew it was all painful and scary. I know now how much of a miracle the outcome was, how good the surgeon was, and what a strong man my relative was. He lived to be 87.75 years old.
That SOUNDS SO BRUTAL. I couldn’t even IMAGINE NOT being able to Eat or drink ANYTHING for months or EVEN A YEAR😳😱🙏🏻. So sorry to anyone who’s gone though this before in their life.
I had UC which I had a really bad flare up and ended up with Toxic Megacolon. I also felt my large bowel pop not long b4 they taken me down to surgery and my heart rate had been really high from when I was admitted into the hospital. My temperature was sky high and the anaesthetist did swear when he found all this out just b4 I was put under. I was out cold for two days in ICU, I have a ileostomy and had it for coming up 12 years now. It's never bothered me from day one I still do everything I did b4. And no I am not an old person I got this in my late 30s. And a year to the day from my 1st life saving surgery I had my rectal stump removed. And when they went into my tummy I had lots of adhesions all over tye inside and parts of my small bowel were stuck to the inside of my tummy. Then because of that op my womb had no support so it flipped backwards and stuck to my tail bone. Lots of pain and lots of problems so I ended up with a total hysterectomy. The adhesions is something I have to live with even though I get alot of pain from them and they are all over the outside of my bladder causing me problems so I have to self catheter 5 times a day.. But I am still here and still enjoying life this has not knocked me down.
I just had a sigmoid colectomy. My sigmoid was grossly infected thus causing chronic diverticulitis. I'm happy to say I've been a month and a half now without the pain of diveryiculitis! Best surgery for an 80 year old Grammy.
5 Years ago my mother underwent hysterectomy and the doctor found out that she had abdominal fistula when they opened her up. I was not aware of this at that time in point and was sacred. However it was taking care of immediately tough. But after seeing you video it make complete sense to me as she had a c section while giving me birth. Thank you for this amazing video.
Hi, I'm a second-year nursing student in New Zealand. Thank you so much for this video. I'm on the middle of my 8 weeks period placement in a surgical ward and have been looking after 220kg female patient with hernia repair with abdominal fistula after the hysterectomy. I finally understand what is happening with her, why it is not a stoma, and why she needs replacement after a certain amount of fistula drain output. Everything makes sense now! Thank you so so much for your dedication to making these videos for us to learn. I really appreciate it.
My Dad just had a colon-bladder fistula removed along with his colon cancer and parts of the small and large intestines. He has no osteomy or anything. 5 months later and he's thriving!
I had a neurosurgeon cut my L5 nerve in my back. I still have back pain, but now I have constant excruciating nerve pain that requires meds to “tone down”. I also have foot drop so my foot will never function properly again! I have to wear an AFO to walk & I use a cane. All of this will never go away!! I am left with it for the rest of my life!! There is nothing that can be done to help my pain & physical issues other than medications that will eventually take my life due to kidney & liver failure possibly even a heart attack!! I was 42 when this happened to me. This has been a nightmare!! Much of my life is over - can’t work, can’t be the wife I need to be, can’t do many of the fun things I used to do. I lost several years of my kids lives going through their teen years because I was so out of it with meds & in too much pain. I’ll never get that back!! Permanently damaged!!! 😢
i have had 3 stomach surgeries which went wrong 2 leading to sepsis n septic shock. In order to give the "leaks" time to heal i had to b fed by PEG for several months both times, (2 out of the the 3 ops) I was in hospital twice for 15 plus weeks...even Hospital TEA looked amazing ! Over ten years later food still tastes differently and there are various other changes -especially around swallowing etc. BUT the change I do not understand and wish someone would explain is why I am no longer allergic to the many many many things I was allergic to ( never seriously but always very obviously-e.g if I was near a field with horses at the other end of the field my eyes would swell and water etc same re Cats/Hay/ Rabbits etc etc - WHY is this please( and I can finally wear perfume which I never could as it always gave me Migraines) I would love to know why this is PLEASE! Thankyou Ruth
It´s what the Greek gods did to punish Tantalus: he stands in water, below a vine bearing fresh grapes (I think, may have been some other fruit) but every time he bends down to drink the water recedes and every time he reaches up to eat the fruit moves back. For all eternity. It´s where the word tantalizing comes from.
It is awesome to get know the complex nature of human anatomy and what could possibly go wrong during the healing process. Thanks to the entire crew member for this knowledge.
In the early 1970's my sister's appendix ruptured, but the ER Doctor didn't believe her. So, she laid in the ER, 8 hours later she was dying. Someone noticed she was unconscious. By now, her veins had collapsed, they had to cut open the veins in both wrists, rushed her into surgery. The contents of the appendix infection had filled her abdomen. They got it as much as they could. But, the damage was done. She has been living with an abdomen filled with scare tissue wrapped around her intestines. She weighs 100 to 115 pounds, depending on how much she is blocked up. She has gone 3 months with out a bowel movement. Yes, her belly sticks out, looking like she is pregnant. If they do surgery now, they will take everything out and she will have a colostomy bag for the rest of her life and become very malnourished. She chose to live with the scare tissue and live with the daily pain. She is 76 now. I'm going to talk to her about donating her body to science, so future doctors will learn to listen and believe people when they come into the ER. Hopefully, her body can come to you. Can a person request their body go to a certain teaching school?
Surgery today is far advanced from that in the 70's. Your sister will have better quality of life with a ostomy. Not having a bowel movement for 3 months is conditions for a bowel rupture . What part of the country is she in .🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@leelastoma5809 Lake Tahoe, she has been to a few different doctors about this in the past 20 years. They all say the same. Because she had just a little bit of bowel that comes out every once in awhile during that 3 months, they consider her still having bowel movements. Their recommendation is total removal and a bag. She doesn't want a bag for the rest of her life.
My mother donated her body to science in Germany. We had to contact various Institutes before finding one that accepted her request. There were certain restrictions, for example they would not accept accident victims. Some institutes accept only bodies from close by. Some institutes were full at the time and there was a long waiting list. Paperwork needs to be done and signed by the person, they have to have their full mental capacities still. Family can not donate the body on their behalf. I don't know if it's the same where you live but I suggest you don't wait with it but get on it right away if she wants to donate her body. All the best!
My grandmother died from scar tissue wrapping around the small bowel. The surgeon said, typically 30 years after a hysterectomy, this can happen in women.
Denmark calling 🇩🇰 my perpective on worst complication is VVF= Vesico Vaginal Fistula - a complication to giving birth and baby gets stuck in the birth canal, the pressure bursts the tissue and causes urine, blood and feces to come out all mixed up. Terrible situation if the woman even survives the incident! Can you make a video on that? 😊
My mom had her gallbladder removed a few years back. During the surgery they cut her liver by accident. They told her it would heal on its own, which it did, but after she became septic and had multiple blood transfusions. That’s my biggest fear of having any surgery. I think that would be the scariest complication of surgery.
I've gone through 13 Abdominal Surgeries, and almost died 5 times. They've caused me to have Chronic Pelvic Pain, from Adhesions since 2004 (I have ARD & CAPPS, because of them!)...I'd love to see you do a video on them, they're a much more common complication, from Abdominal Surgeries, and doctors don't worn patients about them. ✌
see my email-I have numerous extreme pains-some I think stem from incisional Hernias, I also wonder if it could be the Mesh used? as it's the same as there have been complaints about. I made the choices and like most thought it would never happen to me....ironically EVERY risk listed happened-including me bleeding out! and at one point nbeing awake at the ned of the surgery-though I suspect because they had had to go back into do a 2nd major op in 48 hours that was a deliberate choice to use very light sedation). BUT would love to understand more! ANYBODY?!?!
I've had two C Sections, the last one more than a year ago, and still have some pain on my right side, especially if I sit for too long. Funny thing is the doctor commented about how well I had healed from my first one. Somehow I don't think I healed quite so well this time.
I had a partial splenectomy 17 years ago. 1 week surgery turned into a month due to complications, which resulted in a second surgery in that time period. I appreciate all the info you guys give, as someone not medically educated, it's still easy enough to learn how things effect the body and how the body functions.
One thing worse that comes to mind is anything to do with the brain. Where it just straight up damages something. Either losing control of something or losing personality (who you are) because of it.
Survivor here. 7 months after having gastric bypass surgery I was out shopping with my family. All of a sudden the pain was so intense I couldn't breathe, couldn't talk. Developed a fistula between "new stomach" and old stomach, which is actually left free floating after RNY Gastric bypass. 6 hour emergency surgery to clean out food and infection from abdominal cavity. One week of healing and iv antibiotics in the hospital.
I had a fun complication right at 10 years ago. Hurt my back. Cauda Equina meant we went ahead with surgery. Discectomy/laminectomy at L5/6 (yeah I have an L6). Healed beautifully, resolved nerve damage. But during the pre-op imaging, the saw a 16 CM mass on my left ovary. 6 weeks later I went in and had a left salpingo-oopherectomy to remove a grapefruit-sized teratoma. 3 days later, I had a fever, and my recently-healed back incision is oozing. Yeah, somehow during the gyn surgery I went septic with staph and E. coli. They had to do serial debriding/wound vac (oh hey you just mentioned those) to remove necrotized tissue in my lumbar spine - 3 surgeries in 3 days. No good. Wound up in a wheelchair for 5 years due to weakness/neuropathy, have an implanted intrathecal pain pump, usually have to use catheters, and somehow triggered a latent autoimmune disease (Sjögrens for sure, but also a lot of arthritis, pancreatitis, issues with pretty much all of my organs...). I used to work in pharmacy informatics before this happened, now I'm disabled...
Lindsay, you seem to have lots of inner strength. I hope you continue to heal and recover. You have "a lot on your plate" as they say. I Pray you steadily improve. 🙏
@Linda Sheffield I am so very sorry to hear of your health problems. You were really put thru the mill. I'm also in a wheelchair, the past few years. Different reasons, but nothing as dramatic as what you've been thru. I have decided this year that my husband and I are going to retire to Panama. 85 degrees all year round, and close to the equator which is supposed to be helpful for my condition (I have Fibromyalgia, among several other issues). I have lived my last winter in Canada! They have rainy and dry seasons. I am so over 4 seasons! Give me warm weather, beautiful beaches, fruit trees in my garden, and first class healthcare. If I'm going to be in poor health, maybe trying something different will make me better. Not fully recovered, but at least able to walk some, like a did a few years ago. I wish you a pain free life, with all the meds you need to be comfortable. I am hoping to get off a few if my health improves, with the better food, clean air, and positive ions(?) from the ocean. We will be selling everything, and taking 2 suitcases each, plus one carry on each.
@@investigator77 --- WOW! I am so inspired to read your story, and the decisions you've made for a new chapter in your life! Safe travels to you! I think you will enjoy every the discoveries you will make in your new home. 🦋☀️🦋 I've moved around just a little, and learned to with old judgment about a new place until I've been there 4 years (it always seemed to take 4 years before I felt 'at home' in a new location). Best of luck to you!
@@OceanSwimmer thank you! I've been sitting at home, being depressed, never going anywhere except doctor's visits. I've gotten tired of all the tests, and scopes, and all the specialists. I'm going to try it for 6 months in the rainy season, when the prices are cheaper for rent. We're going First Class! Never been in first class, so we're going out in style. We are really excited about moving. We're going to rent a beautiful house, with a pool, that's right on the beach! Good luck to you too my friend.
I had an ileostomy 30 years ago, the muscles closed it so 10 days post op I had a revision a year later my large intestine removed. I still have pain on my left side the doctor calls it phantom pain.
I have Crohns and multiple fistula. Worst one is the one you describe. It lasted over a yr and was right next to my stoma. It was 5" wide by 7" long and 5" deep. The whole incision..was horrible they left it to heal from the bottom up. The contraption I had to wear covered from breastbone to public bone and my stoma and fistula. It took 3 people to change it every 3rd day. It was disgusting, plus skin breakdown, phys rehab to walk again, write and think straight. I was so sick, sepsis, organ failure, coma, life support. Love your channel.
My brother has had 4 surgeries to repair 2 abdominal hernias (courtesy of the VA). After the last one, he was told they were inoperable, and left him with a brace for the 'bad' days.
My mom (81) had a fistula on her colon and a bowl obstruction, she got operated. What really helped in recovery was for her to see a physio regularly at the beginning. She added some soft yoga movements and since, she feels much better, appetite has improved as well as digestion. Also, being active helps with the anxiety and fear of a recurrence.
I had a whole bunch of fistulae from my colon to my skin and it took multiple surgeries over 14 months, 2 lots of sepsis and an ICU stay to resolve it. Nightmare! No problems since though, thankfully!
I had neuroendocrine carcinoma attached to the strius muscle in my abdomen. First a biopsy, then radiation and chemo. It meant the incision from the biopsy didn't heal right and formed a huge seroma. It got worse after the surgery to remove the tumor. The seroma formed a fistula. I spent many days in hospital and blood transfusions and antibiotics. I wound up doing 40 days in hyperbaric oxygen chamber. There is a lot of scar tissue and sometimes it pulls. But I'm here to talk about it!
You explained entrocutaneous fistulas better than my GI doctor - thanks you for this info! I’ve been on TPN 5 months but my stoma is still open. It’s so painful and uncomfortable with a bag but it’s certainly better than it squirting everywhere which I endured for months!
OH BOY, have I got a fistula story for you! In 2000 I had a total hysterectomy. Was in the hospital for 7 day mainly because I was vomiting and they couldn't figure out why. Finally, I was able to keep it down enough to get discharged only to start again in the parking lot. Anyway, went to my follow up and discussed how horrible I was feeling, etc. Was told to get plenty of rest that my body was just recouping from major surgery. One month from my surgery I was painting inside the house when all of a sudden I felt a gush of warmth down my legs. I looked down and I had urinated and both pant legs were completely wet! Shocked I went in and changed, but it kept happening. It was like I had no control. I tried to urinated in the toilet, but very little came out and noticed blood was present. Well went to ER and after tests with urologist, he determined that my bladder had been damaged (nicked) during surgery, this was why I was vomiting and so sick. He further explained that the damaged skin had finally sluffed off creating a large hole in my bladder and my body had created a fistula between the damage site the quickest exit point in my body....which was my vagina! Yes, I was peeing out of my vagina and had no control over it. To correct this required emergency surgery by a specialist 300 miles away. The odessy didn't end there but that was pretty much the highlights as it pertains to this video. I was amazed as to how fast the body reacts to situations like this. I was told the hole in the bladder was about the size of a quarter. And in case anyone is wondering what the gynecologist's said when confronted about her botched surgery, she said "Yeah, I saw that there was blood when I was in there but couldn't find where it was coming from so I finished and stitched you up!" So, I was bleeding and peeing inside my body!
What is the difference between a Fistula and Strictures? Internet search was useless. Also,could removing a large polyp via a colonoscope result in a fistula in that area?This is one of the very best videos you have ever done...Intense!
A fistula is an unnatural opening between two organs, like the bowel and the vagina. A stricture is the tightening of a natural opening, like the throat.
My son who is a quadriplegic has a ileostomy, since his surgery December of 2019 he’s been unable to sit up in his wheelchair due to abdominal pain, bloating, and relentless spasms, he’s unable to eat solids because of blockages, his out put is all runny, blood work is done every two week because his body doesn’t retain any nutrients! He’s currently on TPN! The doctors doesn’t know why he’s having abdominal pain when sitting up. We are still searching for answers
My mom battle with Crohns for more than 15 years. My mom would have been 55 this year. She recently passed away. But she went through more than 6 surgeries. I remember mixing together her TPN and bagging up multiple fistula that came about from one of her surgeries. Every Gastro surgery she was mark to get have stoma. My mom had so much scar tissue. Her Crohns begin to affect her kidney and heart. Mom develop short gut from her last surgery. Mom would have to have weekly hospital stay due to electrolyte deficiency. She had majority of her intestines and colon removed. Im learning more about crohns because I have chronic gastritis , GERD, and IBS.
I saw a video once of some surgical procedure, and near the end, a surgeon or someone, was cramming - jamming - intestines into the abdominal cavity. I mean, fingers extended on both gloved hands, forcing intestines back into the abdomen. I remember my (sorry) gut reaction to seeing that as outright shock and horror, that anybody could treat another person's body like that. Maybe it was a cadaver, I really don't know, but in my memory, it was some sort of surgery.
After complications from gastric bypass surgery my surgeon informed me there was a subcutaneous abdominal fistula. There were obstructions that formed at the new connections in the original surgery and during the second surgery the surgeon nicked a hole in my intestine and luckily for me that area of my intestine turned and stuck to my abdominal wall right under the small incision that was made. After the second surgery, they still had no idea what was wrong and went in a 3rd time which revealed the fistula and consequently I aspirated and wound up in ICU for a while with pneumonia. I had a nine in wound across my abdomen and was fitted with a very large colostomy bag. I spent 6 months in the hospital and endured several complications including a fungal infection in my blood that put lesions on my eyes and could have killed me. I had countless procedures and endless scans. Tests and blood work never stopped. I was on TPN for 4 months and that is what really saved my life along with the fabulous nurses and doctors that cared for me. After six months I had a 4th surgery to resection my intestine. I was cut from breastbone to bikini line, well below my bellybutton because adhesions were expected. Fortunately, I came through well and recovered nicely. That was almost 20 years ago and after watching this video I am definitely going to see my doctor to make sure everything is okay. I have pains in my abdomen that I can't explain and this video has me thinking about what it could be. Thank you so much for all the valuable information!
Yeah,being on TPN for two months....wasn't pretty. And going back to normal food was even worse. My heart goes out to all the fighters going trough that battle.
Endometriosis and Adenomiosis caused me to have mass fusions in my lower organ structures. I had to have hours of surgery to release my organs during my hysterectomy. I had severe pain with every menses until my hysterectomy. It was caused by a previous surgery, gall bladder removal and later by the endometriosis. I had cervical cancer, thus the hysterectomy. It was a life altering surgery for me. I went from not being able to stand up straight during my cycle to no pain at all anymore following the reconstruction and hysterectomy. I’m beyond grateful for my amazing oncology surgeon! I would LOVE to see a video on endometriosis and Adenomiosis
Thank you for explaining. I belong to a group that shares a commonality of rare ovarian cancer and various treatment options. I never understood why a surgeon would not do another abdominal surgery to remove cancer when another tumor would should up within a couple months of having abdominal surgery. I now fully understand why the placement and location of tumor removal are so critical and extremely different for all patients. I also have a family member with Crohn's who just had to have 10 ft of her intestines removed. This is so informative.
As a nurse, I think it's horrifying when surgical instruments are left in patients. The array of complications that it can cause is equally horrifying. *I'm not an OR nurse and thankfully have never done this, but I once had a patient in my care who had this happen to them and they were suffering both acute and long-term complications as a result.
I had small intestinal bypass when I was 22. I think that's enough said. I have suffered years and years from vitamin deficiency diarrhea etc and have severe arthritis now at age 70
After losing 2stone during University I was finally diagnosed with Crohn's, four years of perianal abscesses and fistulae that had to be drained and scraped out every few months ,finally my surgeon found the fistulaic tracts that were causing the abscesses to just keep reforming..it was excruciating...then I had to have my severely diseased splenic flexure and sigmoid removed...after a few months of recovery I was feeling better and eventually my perianal disease healed up but with lots of scarring...6 months later I had the worst small bowel obstruction I've ever had, after 3 days they had to go in and found 10 inches had twisted and died....since then had to have resection after resection..if I had known about adhesions I would have tried to never have surgery in the abdo in the first place but as I didn't respond to any standard Crohns drug back then...since then the adhesions have caused so many problems and frequent obstructions, in the end my only option was a permanent ileostomy, I thought my life was over and I was only in my early 30s...but it still wasn't over....this stoma has had to be revised 6 times due to adhesions stricturing or pulling back in every stoma I had, ended up needing hysterectomy as the womb fell backwards and attached to the sacrum...I have been on TPN once, have been on every drug there is..have lost as much small bowel as I possibly can b4 having to be on TPN permanently if this stoma too either strictures or herniates like the others....what bowel I have left is literally stuck to everything else and itself...the only drug that has managed to control my Crohn's is Humira but I dread the long term consequences of immunosuppression as I have seen my dad go through some awful cancers caused primarily by years of azathioprine for his own Crohn's. I was very lucky I did not have a trigger happy surgeon, but he has now retired....so every time I get an obstruction I fear that it will require surgery...which would prob be the end of me...I cannot stress enuf the risks of ANY abdominal surgery....as he says there will always b consequences....after 30+ years of this, the last 19 with a stoma...my abdomen, what's left of it is literally like a concrete spider web, with bladder and gynae complications I would never have anticipated. My diet is boring as hell cos I have been on be so careful to keep from getting obstructions....I wish anyone out there dealing with IBD the very best...and hope that with the new biologics etc around many of them can avoid the same issues that I have had. It can really screw up your life!!
I am a visiting RN, and I have seen some very gross open fistulas and surgical incisions that we treated with wound care mainly wound vacuum and large doses of IV antibiotics. At the same time, we care for the ostomies or TPN. Those visits can take me almost all day, and we do it at least 3 times a week. I really feel for these patients.
I find your videos fascinating! I've had several surgeries over the years and never had a visual reference of what was actually happening. Keep up the good work!
I’m a layperson and immediately recognized the evidence of diverticulitis when he opened the abdomen. There is no way I could ever be a doctor. Thank God for the many good ones.
I want to THANK you two for taking the time to share your massive information!! I've always been overly curious and you two have answered so many of my questions!! I once had my handwriting analyzed and he kept saying this person is extremely curious!! But I have never had enough money to go to enough colleges to satisfy my curiosity. The way you explain things is so fascinating!! Thank-you, Thank-you!!
Mine wasn’t life-threatening or TOO serious, but I experienced temporary hypocalcemia after my thyroidectomy… I had NO idea about parathyroid glands or that they even existed. No one knows how crucial they are to your body functioning. Would love to see this topic in a video!
Man i started sweating when he got to the chrons part. I have UC and i heard about these fistulas thing but it was never explained this thoroughly to me.
I want to say hello to all of you because you're fumes are amazingly educational but I'm sure makes people think before they leap. I truly am impressed, I went to school for massage therapy and once we started on anatomy and physiology I was blown away by what the human body can do and what it does. Thank you guys I'm watching all of your films and I am saving each of them in my personal files
I just had a hysterectomy so this scarring video is very informative. I have a vertical incision along the connective tissue/linea alba. I am hoping for no crazy complications. I still have a bunch of staples and stitches and look like Frankenstein's bride but my major worry is keloids.
Very informative video! I had severe abdominal pain starting in February.. I went to see my doctor and was Told I should go to the E.D. because I had a history of severe fibroids in my uterus or it could be diverticulitis as that showed up on an MRI I had done for a kidney stone 6 months before. I then delayed going to the ED as I had to clean my house before going into the hospital. 10 days later I went to the ED and they admitted me immediately. I had a laparotomy and they removed an abscess off of my ovary (or so they thought)! I was sent home 4 days later with a drain and directions to see the doctor the following Friday. I didn't make it till Friday as the drain started to come out of my incision. I then started feeling VERY sick and disoriented. I then started to feel like I was dying and asked my cousin who was over visiting to drive me to the ED. I was immediately admitted straight to ICU where I stayed until surgery. My BP plummeted to 56/28 and I truly felt like I was dying. This time the surgery was an open (/full cut) to find out what was going on! They found food floating around inside my abdominal cavity! It ended up being a 4.5 HOUR SURGERY with 4 surgeons. They NEVER found the hole in my intestines. Later the surgeon told me in all his years performing surgery he has never had a case where he couldn't find the hole. I ended up with 29 staples, 3 drains, a colostomy, a central line, on a respirator with an NG Tube! I was on 7-8 different IV's of antibiotics and 2 antifungals! I've never felt soooooo sick in my life and had only been in the hospital as an inpatient once for a knee replacement! Now I just saw the surgeon on Thursday to plan out the ostomy reversal and a hysterectomy at the same time! I now know why he is so concerned about moving all the organs around to get to the uterus and the rectum for reattached!
In 2005, I had my son by repeat C-section. An infection caused an abscess to form the size of a basketball. After a successful removal I had an aneurysm rupture in the aortic artery going to my stomach. The doctors were able to fix the tear. I was left with an infectious wound that slowly healed from the inside out. After 4 months later I had a fistula form in the center of the wound. I had to be transferred to a university hospital & see a specialist. I was able to have reconstructive surgery to fix the fistula & later to completely remove the infectious wound. 9 surgeries in six months and 2 years to completely heal. I finally felt like the “old me”. Thank you for posting this video and showing more in-depth information on this condition.
Hello , I love what you do and how you explain everything. Well in 2014 I had to have a total abdominal hysterectomy due to anemia, about 4/5 days after I was home and resting I realized I was leaking bladder and couldn’t control it, I was told it was a vesicovaginal fistula, IVE NEVER HEARD OF IT AND ITS NEVER MENTIONED BEFORE SURGERY, Well let me tell you I went through it Two years of trying to repair the fistula and the doctors couldn’t find it after having 3 different types of surgeries having one through an incision in my vaginal area still couldn’t find it anyway after two years of wearing a catheter hopefully the fistula would close up by itself.. SO WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN AND WHY DOESNT MORE DRS TALK MORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE TO THIS DAY IM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. Thank you for your time 🙏by the way it took 8 different specialists to help me, by the way I also had two large tumors that had to be removed .
Doctors don't share the risks or side effects because patients would refuse the surgery. If every woman with benign conditions refused to have a hysterectomy - as recommended by her doctor - the doctor & hospital wouldn't be as profitable. Hysterectomies are a $$$ maker.
Question about SURGERY GONE WRONG. Can an MRI detect any of the adhesions/scar tissue after an open surgery (boobs to hairline in female)? I had a full open hysterectomy by a young doctor with little experience. This surgery was in 2013 , and ever since, I've had incredible abdominal distension with constipation. My current CT scan shows my ENTIRE Colin is severely inflamed and thickened. I was diagnosed with PANCOLITIS, but I don't have the diarrhea. Just wondering if an MRI or CT Scan would show any adhesions. I also have a track in part of my scar, around my belly button that "junk" comes out of. I can actually stick an entire toothpick into the open track in my scar. Can you plz email me at jaimesillett@gmail.com ? More videos on injuries to the abdomen due to surgeries would be great.
Yikes. I'm glad I read through these comments. In March I was rushed to the ER due to uterine hemorrhaging. I'm also anemic. I was considering a hysterectomy eventually, but I think I'll stick to taking progesterone and iron. 🤔
Good Job.---- My Mother died in 1961 because of Gangrene & paternities ( I know I misspelled the words), from a hernia operation. Years before that she had had a ruptured appendix as a child and a C birth in 1945. Your information better explained why she died. Thank you , I know longer feel the Doctor could have prevented her death.
I would love to see a video on cancer tumours. I always wanted to know what would happen if someone chose not to treat their cancer at all, what would happen inside the body. What would it look like, what does the person look like on the outside, how long does it take to pass away, what effects does the cancer cause without any treatment?
I have Crohn's disease and am currently dealing with two fistula's. Surgical intervention is the last resort so I'm currently on immunosuppressants and steroids and a very restricted died to try and give my body a chance to heal itself. Seems to be going well so far.
I hope you get well soon!
Good luck
I wish you quick recovery.
i hope you recover nicely!
I hope you get well soon ❤️
Our daughter had a c-section, apparently the incision became infected and went undiagnosed. It wasn’t until a fistula erupted it was diagnosed. As a result she went septic and died. This should have never happened.
I am so sorry for you
Outrageous. I am so terribly sorry for your loss
So sorry for your loss.
Thank you all for your kind words.
Oh my gosh I’m so sorry
Man I wish I had you as my anatomy professor, you make learning all of this stuff extremely fascinating.
Absolutely we had some old guy who mumbled into his boots and stank of tobacco
Bro how many people use this account in order to comment on every TH-cam channel ever 😭😂
@@drsatyamupadhyayXD just some guys isn't a bot tho? Or is the bot auto deleted in the replies?...
@@meepknight
Its not a Bot. Bots dont desire (wish) for anything in reply comments.
just stop, please
My boyfriend had this, was super scary, the small intestine attached to itself and the digestive juices ate through the hole and sepsis here we come, had 6 drain bags that time. He was complicated Chronic Pancreatitis, he actually died from a liver abscess misdiagnosed as a tumor. He was in hospital during C-19 and they said that they couldn't treat it and with his hx of liver damage it was going to be a complex surgery. I told them he does not have liver disease he has a blocked hepatic artery that decreases blood supply to the liver and they cant operate on it because the pancreas is too large and hes a bleed risk and he most likely has an abscess for the 5th time in 6 years. By the time they got him prepped for surgery he crashed. Super septic, abscess rupture and bled out. Miserable death but life with pancreatitis I'm sure was worse. You should do a segment on the Pancreas, the demon that it can become. Love your work
So sorry for your loss, for the amount of his pain you had to witness unable to help... So sorry for a life taken too soon that probably in other circumstances could have been saved :( I hope You& his family are able to heal.
Wow I’m so sorry to hear everything he and you went through. RIP
Oh my goodness. I can’t imagine what he went through, and as someone who loved and cared for him, feeling helpless. Bless your heart and may your memories of the good times you shared together see you through. God bless💞
I'm sorry to hear that. :(
I can't even begin to imagine 🥹, hope you're able to heal
Abdominal surgeries can have so many complicated...
One of my best friends died in 2020 at 37 (we've been friends since we were 3). We both are/were chronically ill and have had multiple surgeries each, but not for years. She died unexpectedly from abdominal scar tissue randomly tearing and hemorrhaging one day. She was probably the kindest, most selfless, brilliant person I've ever known and ever will know. She was my kids godmother for a reason. )
Miss you forever Carol 💔
I’m sorry for your loss :,(
Sorry for your loss, she deffo knew she had the best friend
Sorry for your loss
My step dad was in the hospital for 6 months following abdominal surgery and when he finally did come home he was on a TPN system with an ostomy bag. I was the one helping him with everything like a home nurse as a senior in highschool. Hes doing much better now but still struggles with the amount of scar tissue in the area, as he also had surgery to reverse the stoma and also had drains in place after the first surgery. This time was probably the scariest time in my life and I appreciate the spreading of awareness around surgeries like these.
Hello, I'm 47 years old, and in the last 20 years, I have had 9 small bowel surgeries. 8 out of 9 surgeries were small bowel obstructions from scare tissue.
I get really sick a few times a year. This has caused me to lose multiple jobs, friends, depression and the list goes on. Has anyone else gone through this?
The video just helped me get an idea of what may have happened.
Thanks,
Shawn
Right there with ya buddy, but at only 35 yo. Never had any surgeries until a severe bowel blockage due to adhesions nearly killed me. Now 3 surgeries later, they say nothing can be done, and to just handle it when it happens. If sucks
I also am 47 can relate to your comment so much. Literally every day I am affected by my issues that are still unknown after 13 hellacious months. It all started 2 months after emergency gallbladder removal. I'm in 6th year of remission from NH Lymphoma and I can say this journey makes all that seem like a walk in the park. We just have to keep searching for answers & treatment and hope it doesn't kill us first.
Update - rectal prolapse acting as an obstruction. Surgery to repair & remove excess colon coming up in July. In momth 15 of this hell now (June). Mentally & physically so tired. Ready for relief.
Yessir, I can relate. Pretty much every time I need abdominal surgery, I get adhesions and blockages afterward that are immensely painful and life threatening. It started when I was 16 and now I’m 35. Facing a major surgery soon. Wish me luck.
The problem is that the more abdominal surgery the more likely they will get adhesion and doctors can't do anything about it. I had a hysterectomy 20 months ago and as a result of that bowel obstruction due to adhesion 17 months later. One day out of nowhere I had severe , unbearable pain in my stomach. Went to A & E and they did an exploratory laparotomy. I am not sure how to prevent this happens again because there is no warning till it happens it seems.
@@JButt- How was your surgery? was it successful? How did you know that you got adhesions?
My son has Crohn's and after a re-section in the small intestine he developed a fistula. I didn't understand exactly what a fistula was as the surgeon described it but you certainly explained it very well. Thank you. In my son's case, the surgeon was able to repair the fistula successfully.
Hello 👋dear, how are you doing?
nice!
I have a situation that happened quite a few years ago that I have never understood, but is along the line of this video. My daughter has severe Ulcerative Colitis. It was decided after so much illness that she should have her entire colon removed and a J-Pouch made to collect feces as opposed to a bag. She was 23yrs old at the time and a newlywed. The surgery went fine and then in less than 48 hours she was in pain that could not be managed by any narcotic the hospital had. She asked me to pray that God would please take her because she “couldn’t take it anymore. The next morning I talked to the doctor and said something is not right, please fix it. They did a CAT scan and said it looked like maybe some blood had pooled and he would go in and clean it up. Long story short, her Pancreas had burst and she came out of that second surgery on a ventilator and we were prepared, by the doctors, for the worst. All they could do was induce a coma and do every bodily function possible to keep her still and hope the pancreas repaired itself??? They said that this sometimes, but not often happens after surgery. I was at her side for a month in the hospital. She recovered and later had to have a _____? And has had a “bag” for a few years. She is very healthy now and very fit. (Again for about 10 years)No one would ever know her story by just meeting her. Medicine and the body are amazing!! But I would love to know the connection to surgery on this one. There was NO blaming or lawsuits or anything to where your thoughts on this would cause problems or whatever. Just the title of this video brought me back to wondering the connection to surgery. It was a very very scary time.
Q: HOW IS THE PANCREAS CONNECTED TO THE COLECTOMY?
I would love to know more about this. I watch this channel very often and love it. Now I’m hoping its my turn. Thank you. ✨
My husband was diagnosed with Crohns when he was 16. Hes had multiple surgeries and fistulas.. So grateful hes still with us.
I love how casual he is when moving the insides of a dead person
It's just an old dead bag of bones an flesh.
@@jeepgirlolllo2936 imagine he's doing that to ur dead body 😂...(I know his doing that for science).
You get used to it
It's just a pile of meat. They, the previous user is no longer there. Remember this when you next make burgers!😆
@@jeepgirlolllo2936 it’s an old dead bag of really complicated and cool bones and flesh
In 2018, I had neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer removed via Whipple Procedure. A complication from my surgery was pancreatic fistula. I've been through my fair share of painful events like gall stones and tongue surgery (stitches in your tongue is hell) but nothing holds a candle to the pain of that fistula. My pancreas was resected to secrete pancreatic juices into my jejunum but this made my little pancreas very very angry. Pancreatic fluid filled my abdomen. The three drain tubes that were sticking out of my body couldn't collect it very well but the fluid started oozing from around the drain tube opening in my skin. The rest settled down into my lower abdomen where it digested me from the inside. It felt like someone dropped two red hot irons on my pelvis.
If I had known what I was getting into with Whipple I may have elected to try shrinking the tumor first. I had no idea the surgery is one of the most complicated procedures to date. It's really a crappy feeling when you're told you need a surgery to survive but when you get the surgery all you want to do is die because the pain is so bad. It's better now but I still have severe episodic pain from the fistula.
All of this to say, yes, I agree. Abdominal fistula is extremely painful. Extremely. My heart goes out to anyone who has ever had the displeasure.
I'm totally curious, if you're comfortable answering, is the fistula is still there? Or did you get another surgery to remove it? Hope everything is going okay x
@@ellismcg4754 It must have corrected itself I guess. I'm not really sure. I actually didn't fully understand what a fistula was back then. They didn't operate on me again thankfully. They just supported me while I healed. I had an extra drain tube placed where the fluid was building up in my lower abdomen. I stayed in the hospital for 6 more days because of it. They said my pancreas was really agitated from having 2/3 of it cut out so it leaked digestive enzymes and stuff down into my pelvic area where it digested and irritated all the structures in that region. I cramped so hard it tore all the muscles to shreds. I couldn't even stand up. I had 30 staples down my belly too and a lot less digestive organs than when I started. I got better but honestly it took about a year to stabilize. My body went through a lot of changes as my healing progressed. I'm kinda normal now. The surgery is called Whipple Procedure. If you have a morbid curiosity like myself, you'll find it pretty interesting. I call my post-Whipple digestive system Frankentummy. :P
A Whipple is a bear of a surgery. And survival percentages aren't that great, I am glad you made it through and are here with us. A pancreatic leak or fistula is one of the worst, I think. The pancreas creates enzymes for digestion and when those enzymes are in your abdominal cavity, they do their job and digest. Unfortunately, it is your own tissue it is digesting, which is why you had such immense pain and why you needed those drains, to get as much out as possible. Again, I am glad you made it through that ordeal.
@@BlissyAcKc Thank you!
Wat goed dat u nog leeft
Dat is zeer bijzonder na deze diagnose
Veel geluk
Great video. I'm a retired heath care provider -- your explanations were on target.
My first patient had 5 fistulae, all from intestinal problems.
She was in very poor health before the initial surgery, which contributed to her delayed healing.
Keeping the skin around her fistulae exit was a real challenge.
Thank God for Ostomy nurses!
I was born with Spina Bifida (myelomeningocele). I was also born with a rectovaginal fistula that was corrected when I was a few days old. I would love to see a video either on Spina Bifida or the fistula I mentioned above. I am 56 years old and neither have been explained well in my opinion. I have an overactive bladder and a sluggish colon. There's quite a difference between telling someone something and showing them a video about the subject. I really enjoy watching your videos. Keep it up!
🌹
❤️🌹
I agree, Dawn! I have Spina Bifida, too!
I had a vaginal/rectal fistula after the birth of my first baby. I'd like to see a video of that too!
🌹
Wow this helps in understanding the cascade of events that caused my mom to die. Started with cancer of the uterine liner, treated by having g a hysterectomy, which led to fistulas between the large intestine and bladder, which led to severe UTI’s. Then surgery to correct the fistulas, adding a colostomy bag while having a UTI, which led to Sepsis. A month in the ICU, recover enough to go home then only to have part of the small intestine die and rupture, another surgery to remove part of the small intestine but that didn’t stop the septic shock which finally got her. In hindsight, the hospital that performed the fistula surgery should have better treated the UTI from the beginning and had her in heavy antibiotics the moment she checked in. It might have stopped the cascade right at that point. Advocate for yourself and loved ones, sometimes hospitals overlook issues staring them in the face.
I hope you sued someone involved in her care. It sounds like a lot of negligence, which happens far too often with women's abdominal or reproductive area issues. I'm sorry for your loss.
I had the same thing happened to me, I m still messed up
Your Mom's story sounds similar to my own. I'm just hoping to survive Florida's health care system.
Tragic im sorry for your loss.
Hi Ron, I’m so very sorry to hear about your dear Mom. : (
Such a great visual! I can totally 'see' what was going on inside my daughter now. My daughter (26yrs old) recently had a colon rectosigmoid resection, due to colon cancer (G2, pT3, pN2b). 4wks after surgery & 1st chemo, she became extremely ill. The long & short is, her intestinal tract was fusing. I thank her Drs *everyday* for saving her life. Not just from the cancer but from the fistula as well.
My brother had colon cancer, had a piece of his colon removed (but they were able to leave his anus etc intact, so he was expected to be able to function without a bag). And then he got a fistula. We only found that out at the very end of this (he's still alive, so all's well that ends well, I suppose). All he knew is that he was sore. He complained to his oncologist, and the oncologist pretty much directly told him, "You're always complaining" (as in not appreciative enough of the great oncology you're getting). Eventually he went to a different surgeon - his wife's Crohns specialist, who was so old he was just about frail by this time. That doctor checked him out properly, found he had a fist sized lump of calcified tissue somewhere in there, and the fistula. Digestive juices would leak through, attack the tissues, cause a scar, cause it to close up, and then it would start to leak through all over again. Had another operation, had to have the bag this time, and he's almost back to being himself again now (it's a few years after).
For doctors, I suppose the moral of the story is that if the patient says he has pain, there might just be a good reason for him thinking so. (The surgery that solved the problem only came when to me he looked like he was busy dying.) My sister-in-laws view is that even if you think the patient is just a bit of a hypochondriac, then treat the hypochondria (or refer him to someone who can). Hypochondria is a sickness as well (if there's still such a diagnosis).
Give your brother a big hug from me,will ya? Doctors in my country basically treat all patients,onco or not, like that, you have to fight for everything from basic follow-up to proper pain relief so as someone that travelled (and still keeps on dragging my feet) trough this path - I kindly ask of you to deliver said hug with utmost respect and the best of wishes.
@@mariaduszak9064 Thanks. I hope your own journey also eventually has a happy ending. Sounds like you're having a rough time of it. Please ask someone you know to give you a hug on my behalf, too.
Just because someone has imagined aches and pains doesn't mean they don't have any real ones!
@@rebeccaainslie4637 True! So the "treat the hypochondria" approach falls short, still. Until the pain of the complaining patient has been _disproved_ a doctor should treat it as if it's real pain.
Dude, I have pain near my belly button and it's been a year after surgery.
An anatomy instructor was once asked what was the best way to heal a broken tendon. The instructor replied "Don't. The best way to treat it is to never break it." He went on to explain it's such a lengthy recovery process that it's best to avoid those injuries. Videos like these may leave many feeling in a similar way that the best way to avoid complications from surgery is not having surgery, unless it's absolutely necessary.
I kinda hear the "avoid surgerys unless necessary" from a video in wich a doctor talked , that was always on my mind but now with this video I really UNDERSTAND
@B C did you have to stretch it during recovery? Or only after?
When I have an option for elective surgery, I elect to NOT have it.
Interesting I'm so thin and I carried three kids and my youngest I carried so low that I broke it tendon in my hip and I have to walk I've tried all kinds of things and I was told to just leave it alone the people don't understand it hurts so bad I'll double over I trip and fall and can't get up I try to stay off of it as much as I can
Did tendons in my ankle really badly in 2013. I still have problems with it. The doc in the ER said I would’ve had better recovery outcomes if I had broken the bone, they can do something for that.
Wow! I wish I had this video in 2017. Mom was on TPN for 18 months, right up to her corrective surgery. Multiple septic episodes, intense rehab in skilled care. She finally got her life back in 2020 only to succumb to COVID-19. We feel so cheated😭
💔
Thank you for this timely post. I developed a fistula last year between the diverticula and my bladder. Thanks to COVID, the hospital refused to do the surgery. After going through the ER, the first surgery removed the fistula (which was also attaching to my abdominal wall) and about a foot of my colon. Sadly, I went septic a week later and had to be rushed back into surgery and I awoke with an ileostomy. It was finally reversed on 2/22. So far, so good!
Keeping fingers crossed and sending best wishes. You'll be good as new in no time ;)
@Greta 💗💗💗
I had no idea that a fistula between bladder and colon was so common. Mine required removal of about 12" of my colon as well. Luckily I had no colostomy. Not even temporary. My surgeon was amazing and that was over 25 yrs ago. Im sure methods have improved since then. Luckily Ive had no issues since recovering from the surgery. Best of luck to you.
@@tmichael39 wow so glad that you got a brilliant Surgeon that fixed your problem that by the sounds of it, cured you 😊
I find it extremely inconsiderate of someone who has had a distressing event in hospital performed on them. Whilst it was very serious for you and you have a way to go to full health.
As a trained nurse I have had quite a few people who were very frightened after hearing the reports made by people who recently have had serious operations. Two of my patients, one a lad of 23 was to have a complicated rectal and abdominal surgery, Not life threatening but could be serious and the patient was to listen to the surgeon and treating doctor. Apparently the young man did have concerns and many what ifs. He was not able enough to cope with the 'what ifs' of his operation.
He left hospital before surgery and his body was found in a park near his home. It was too much to bare.
So please be careful what you share, where and to whom.
We can all see things differently.
Nearly a year after I had an emergency cholecystectomy (gall bladder removed), I was having increasing pain about 15 mins to half an hour before feeling the urge to "open my bowels". Was having a laparoscopy related to infertility issues, and I mentioned this pain - while it wasn't any worse than a momentary period cramp, it was increasing in intensity. After the laparoscopy, they told me that the removal of my gall bladder (and the "shared duct") had healed with the normal scar tissue - which had adhered to my large bowel causing this pain every time a "motion" passed through. They "fixed" it on the spot, saying it was fortunate I'd mentioned it to them as it could have led to a serious complication, although it wasn't that serious then, just painful. No further problems (and IVF overcame my infertility)!
Why did you need an emergency cholecystectomy?
@@Bonnielikescats I had never had any signs or symptoms of gall stones at all. One day and night of mild pain increasing to moderate pain, then increasing over the second night to extreme pain. Husband drove me to GP, couldn't stand upright properly. Ambulance into hospital. Ultrasound confirmed a gall stone lodged in the "shared duct" that was 1.9cm diameter. The surgeon wasn't available until the next morning so they sedated me until then. After the op, the surgeon told me they had to remove the gall bladder as it had started to necrose (death of tissue) and they couldn't save it. He wagged his finger at me telling me I'd left it too long before seeing someone about it - to which I told him I had no idea I had gall stones, and had been without sleep for two days and nights and couldn't think of anything aside from the pain. The first days' pain was equivalent to my "normal" period pain - just in a different area. Women are told early on to "just deal with it", so I did. He then told that at first sight of it, he was scared it would burst before he could get it removed, which would not have been good for me. He did understand what a lot of women face and deal with on a monthly basis, but he told me I have to learn to roar to make myself heard, especially if it is something new or different. I put that into practice at my yearly gyne (after the aforementioned laparoscopy that didn't show anything) appointment (because he was SOOOO sure I didn't have endometriosis, PCOS or anything else wrong with me) and got a referral to IVF which diagnosed both those conditions and a third "abnormality" as well.
@@LynHannan also something to note is that the human nervous system is not created equally between genders, human females have more nerves than human males, meaning that they're more likely to feel intense pain compared to their counterparts of the opposite sex.
@@Bonnielikescats Ok, I wasn't aware of that. It's more than a shame when it is the females that have to give birth.
We have the same operation, but my cholecystectomy was not the problem that made me be transferred from ward to ICU a day after surgery and a second operation on the same site two days later. 🤦 Apparently, during the first operation, as they were trying to remove my gallbladder, they accidentally sliced a piece of my liver(not exactly sure which part of it), which caused internal bleeding. Outward, I was complaining I don't feel well, not in pain, but generally just not good. Until my BP and heart rate almost flatlined. They had to reopen the stitches they made along my right ribcage(not sure that's how you describe where it is😅), and slice thesame length the left ribcage to apparently siphon out all the leaked blood and patch up my liver.🤷 Now almost four years later and an inverted V-cut on my abdomen and three holes for the draining tube later(which had been closed later), all I feel is bloatedness and slight diarrhea sometimes. Not to mention the pain I feel in my spine where the needle from the general anaesthesia was jammed into thrice before they could administer. 🤦 Coz why not? Why not make it more worse than what it really was that time, right? 😅🤷 But thankfully still alive after all that. Thank God He still thought me worthy to live and enjoy time with my four year old daughter.❤️
This brings back memories for me-diverticulitis, abdominal pain, PICC line, TPN, bowel resection. Not being able to eat or drink anything was difficult but I was able to avoid having a colostomy bag. Frustrating that two doctors diagnosed stomach flu even when my temp spiked to over 104. Very interesting video.
This is the best explanation I have ever heard or read on Fistulae including from Surgeons at specialist hospitals. This is important work. Thank you for using your expertise to help us better understand the conditions we live with.
Thank you for explaining human anatomy in such an interactive and informative way! Also, thank you to the donors for once having made the decision to make their bodies available for all of us to learn.
This very thing happened to me when I was undergoing surgery to have as much cancer as possible cut out. It's the worst pain I've ever felt, to the point that it's a different kind of pain, it was literally on another level I've never felt before. 91 days of TPN and the nurses came in every two hours with towels to soak up whatever had leaked from my abdominal area.
Prayers
Definitely prayers for you.
🙏🙏🙏
I feel ya 100%. I had pancreatic fistula following pancreatic cancer surgery. When you say it's pain on another level I know what you mean. It doesn't *just* hurt really bad. It literally sent me into some kind of trance where I couldn't understand what people were saying. I couldn't stand, sit, or lay down because moving even the slightest nanometer brought a flare of ungodly, searing agony. The nurse had to cut my underwear off and place a urine suction device on me to urinate because I couldn't move. They gave me all the dilaudid and oxy they were allowed to give me but nothing made it better.
I can't even talk about the nasogastric tube. That, all on its own, was pure torture. I couldn't imagine having 91 days of TPN. My heart goes out to you!
Prayers 🙏🙏🙏
I was primary carer for my husband when he developed a fistula. It took one to two surgeries per year to clean out infection pockets trying to get it to heal. Ten years in and we have graduated from needing surgeries. He has a permanent opening and related incontinence, but no more infection and no stoma.
As someone going trough "these things" on my own...I just want to say, you are truly an angel, an inspiration and an example of what it means to truly LOVE someone. I know what it would mean for me to have someone by my bedside when everything's seemingly falling apart so I can only imagine how much You mean to Him. How lucky of him to find an angel to call his own.Bless You and thank You, for giving me hope that one day maybe I won't walk alone too...
@@mariaduszak9064 thank you for your kind words. It was my honour to be of use to him given all that he does for me.
@@mariaduszak9064 Maria, know that you are not alone in not having anyone to support you during happiness, good health OR a health CRISIS. This too is my station in life and it is scary. Fortunately, I rely on my faith to keep my courage up. Do I really want to go through the misery of heroic surgeries that may do additional damage? Blessings, and peace. Hope your situation improves. As for me, I'm too old for a new future and as long as my mind is sound, my good memories remind me to be grateful for life and it's blessings.😊💕
So I was born prematurely and with prune belly as well as VACTRL syndrome. Among other crazy complications. I have had a colostomy and a mitrofanoff stoma. As I have lived and grown I have also added end stage renal disease and a suprapubic catheter hole. I’ve been dialyzing for about 6.5 years and on March 8th received a new kidney from my mother. Well as I am typing this, I am 29 years old and sitting at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore still recovering from that transplant. At first the kidney worked great. But quickly my body sent in antibodies and now it’s less productive. Today I began the first of 5 plasma Pharisees treatments to hopefully rid my body of these antibodies so that all the anti reject meds can begin to work correctly. I really like how you explained all that because I just kept thinking “this is all about me!” I also had a TE fistula issue and so when you showed that it helped me to finally know what that was. I have loved learning about medical things and stumbling on your channel has helped me so much to understand more about who I am physically and how I work so thanks for making a vid like this. It was so insightful.
My mother had colon cancer that spread to her liver. They removed the tumors and most of her liver. That caused scar tissue to close off her small intestine. In a second surgery the DR had to cut through her diaphragm to correct that issue. The fluids from her liver then ate through her diaphragm and formed a fistula with her lung. She was coughing up bright neon yellow bile which ate up 1/2 her lung so needed another surgery to remove it. After all of this she was too weak and died three weeks later. THANK YOU for doing such a great job explaining how all of this happened. You guys do a fantastic job. THANK YOU
That's definitely a case of negligence. Doesn't help you...but may help someone else 💔🤗
This was very informative, but I’ve had a hysterectomy, c-section, gallbladder removed, and an appendectomy so this is kind of scary. I do have trust in my doctors and have had no complications. I’ve also had a collapsed lung and a pacemaker. I’ve a total of 20+ surgeries since I was 18, I’m now 64. I’m so glad I’ve had the wonderful doctors and healthcare workers taking care of me. I’ve watched several of your videos and they are all very informative. Thank-you for making these videos and sharing your knowledge.
You're lucky & obviously don't live in Florida.
@@buzzkill5480 I laughed and then cried because that's exactly where I live lmao
@@machshfive Dear God!!! Can you share the names of your doctors?
I've completed 6 chemo cycles, had a decent (not perfect) CT scan & think now is the perfect time to go doctor shopping. I've been in Florida since Nov 2020 & was hospitalized at the end of May 2021. I didn't have any doctors lined up when I was diagnosed & many PCPs here don't want to take on new patients who are getting or heading for chemo so now's the time.
@@buzzkill5480 tbh I'm only 31 so I really don't have or know any doctors right now. I wish you luck man :(
After having my gallbladder out (11 years ago), I am still dealing with adhesions and fistula. I've had 3 corrective surgeries, and we're at the point of managing the symptoms. I will likely lose parts of my colon as I get older. So I 1000% agree that this is the worst case scenario and would not wish this on my worst enemy.
What did your pain feel like and where?
Thank you for this video! I have Crohn's and have had fistulae after operations in the past. What I've learned that might benefit your relative who also suffers from fistulae: Taking vitamin E helps the healing process.
I had really bad scar tissue after each operation and eventually got fistulae for a few years. Then I learned that the body needs more vitamin E during the healing process, and I tested taking some supplements after an operation - with great results!
If I need another operation, I start taking vitamin E a few days before (because I am aware of the negative effects of overdosing vitamin E), and I continue to take it for around more 2 months after the op date. My scar now looks really healthy, it's flexible, and I have not had any fistulae since I've started taking vitamin E during the healing process.
It's worth a try for your relative too! I'm wishing them the best of luck!
Hey guys, I just want to send a big thank you for this particular video. My dad is going through this right now and not doing well. I needed this to feel comfortable with his medical plan. Again, thank you. The abdominal fistula portion is right on.
I was born with 6 intestinal blockages and at 1 day old I had 50% of my small intestine removed. I was lucky enough to survive without the need of a stoma. However my entire abdominal area is a wall of fistula, everything is connected to everything. It is so severe I have been told that if I fell pregnant there would be a possibility my organs would rip apart as the baby grew and could possibly be life threatening, at the very least I would be very high risk and bed ridden for a lot of the gestational period. This vid was very informative. Thank you.
Great topic. I had severe abdominal pain from diverticulitis about 12 years ago which led up to a bowel obstruction & then exploratory surgery. Afterwards I was told the symptoms would return at some point in the future, & they did several years later accompanied by a colovesical fistula (which caused my bladder & colon to fuse together mixing the contents of each - not a pretty sight when urinating).. I then had a surgery to reseal my bladder, etc then after a few months my sigmoid colon was removed which finally brought an end to the diverticulitis issues.. thankfully I had the best possible outcome (no bag) but the healing process was very difficult & painful, including self-administered injections thru a PICC line & a urinary catheter.. since recovering from all of that I haven't had any other abdominal problems.. I am grateful for modern medicine
I'm happy to hear that the worst is behind you now. I'm glad you didn't have to get a bag!
Dang man that sounded really horrible. Glad you doing better.
@@LilyBean82 yes thank you I appreciate that
@@lostboi3974 yes it was pretty bad but there are many people whose outcomes are worse, all is well now thank you
I too had the bladder to colon attach together. Thought to be from a Large Diverticulitis I had about a year and a half prior. They treated it with IV Levi-quin which I reacted to and it stopped my heart twice. Thanks to an alert nurse who saw me collapse onto the floor and started CPR right away. Took ten minutes to get it started again. They moved me to ICU and heart stopped again. They then induced a chemical coma to allow the heart to rest better and start working better on its own. I was then shipped to a VA hospital 300 miles away to recover from both the heart stopping and the Diverticulitis. But not using Levi-quine. 7 weeks in the hospital. Then about a year and a half later, I started getting strange stuff out when I peed. also what I called Dick Farts. I was sent back to the VA hospital to have laparoscopic surgery to fix it. That was a success. they removed about 9" or so of my colon. I have not had a complication since. that all was back in 2012-2013
My 79 year old relative had a fistula from the large intestines to his bladder. His fever rain 104+ at the beginning. He spent 9 weeks on strong antibiotics without food or water (5 weeks hospitalized). During those last few weeks, he had surgery to remove 6 inches of the large intestines without having the bag installed. I knew it was all painful and scary. I know now how much of a miracle the outcome was, how good the surgeon was, and what a strong man my relative was. He lived to be 87.75 years old.
That SOUNDS SO BRUTAL. I couldn’t even IMAGINE NOT being able to Eat or drink ANYTHING for months or EVEN A YEAR😳😱🙏🏻. So sorry to anyone who’s gone though this before in their life.
I had UC which I had a really bad flare up and ended up with Toxic Megacolon. I also felt my large bowel pop not long b4 they taken me down to surgery and my heart rate had been really high from when I was admitted into the hospital. My temperature was sky high and the anaesthetist did swear when he found all this out just b4 I was put under. I was out cold for two days in ICU, I have a ileostomy and had it for coming up 12 years now. It's never bothered me from day one I still do everything I did b4. And no I am not an old person I got this in my late 30s.
And a year to the day from my 1st life saving surgery I had my rectal stump removed. And when they went into my tummy I had lots of adhesions all over tye inside and parts of my small bowel were stuck to the inside of my tummy.
Then because of that op my womb had no support so it flipped backwards and stuck to my tail bone. Lots of pain and lots of problems so I ended up with a total hysterectomy. The adhesions is something I have to live with even though I get alot of pain from them and they are all over the outside of my bladder causing me problems so I have to self catheter 5 times a day.. But I am still here and still enjoying life this has not knocked me down.
I just had a sigmoid colectomy. My sigmoid was grossly infected thus causing chronic diverticulitis. I'm happy to say I've been a month and a half now without the pain of diveryiculitis! Best surgery for an 80 year old Grammy.
5 Years ago my mother underwent hysterectomy and the doctor found out that she had abdominal fistula when they opened her up. I was not aware of this at that time in point and was sacred. However it was taking care of immediately tough.
But after seeing you video it make complete sense to me as she had a c section while giving me birth.
Thank you for this amazing video.
Hi, I'm a second-year nursing student in New Zealand. Thank you so much for this video. I'm on the middle of my 8 weeks period placement in a surgical ward and have been looking after 220kg female patient with hernia repair with abdominal fistula after the hysterectomy. I finally understand what is happening with her, why it is not a stoma, and why she needs replacement after a certain amount of fistula drain output. Everything makes sense now! Thank you so so much for your dedication to making these videos for us to learn. I really appreciate it.
My mom had gastric bypass and the Dr perforated her intestine, causing her to get severe sepsis and she almost died
The same thing happened to me. I developed a fistula afterwards and spent 6mos in the hospital. I had 4 surgeries and 3 near death experiences.
My Dad just had a colon-bladder fistula removed along with his colon cancer and parts of the small and large intestines. He has no osteomy or anything. 5 months later and he's thriving!
That really sounds scary as hell... I have always thought perforation of the colon would be the most horrific complication.
I had a neurosurgeon cut my L5 nerve in my back. I still have back pain, but now I have constant excruciating nerve pain that requires meds to “tone down”. I also have foot drop so my foot will never function properly again! I have to wear an AFO to walk & I use a cane. All of this will never go away!! I am left with it for the rest of my life!! There is nothing that can be done to help my pain & physical issues other than medications that will eventually take my life due to kidney & liver failure possibly even a heart attack!! I was 42 when this happened to me. This has been a nightmare!! Much of my life is over - can’t work, can’t be the wife I need to be, can’t do many of the fun things I used to do. I lost several years of my kids lives going through their teen years because I was so out of it with meds & in too much pain. I’ll never get that back!! Permanently damaged!!! 😢
I think that he just described “Hell”: being condemned to perpetual hunger and thirst, but never starving/dehydrating to death (for up to 1 year).
While spewing digestive juices into a bag from an open wound in your abdomen 🥴
i have had 3 stomach surgeries which went wrong 2 leading to sepsis n septic shock. In order to give the "leaks" time to heal i had to b fed by PEG for several months both times, (2 out of the the 3 ops) I was in hospital twice for 15 plus weeks...even Hospital TEA looked amazing ! Over ten years later food still tastes differently and there are various other changes -especially around swallowing etc. BUT the change I do not understand and wish someone would explain is why I am no longer allergic to the many many many things I was allergic to ( never seriously but always very obviously-e.g if I was near a field with horses at the other end of the field my eyes would swell and water etc same re Cats/Hay/ Rabbits etc etc - WHY is this please( and I can finally wear perfume which I never could as it always gave me Migraines) I would love to know why this is PLEASE! Thankyou Ruth
It´s what the Greek gods did to punish Tantalus: he stands in water, below a vine bearing fresh grapes (I think, may have been some other fruit) but every time he bends down to drink the water recedes and every time he reaches up to eat the fruit moves back. For all eternity. It´s where the word tantalizing comes from.
It is awesome to get know the complex nature of human anatomy and what could possibly go wrong during the healing process.
Thanks to the entire crew member for this knowledge.
In the early 1970's my sister's appendix ruptured, but the ER Doctor didn't believe her. So, she laid in the ER, 8 hours later she was dying. Someone noticed she was unconscious. By now, her veins had collapsed, they had to cut open the veins in both wrists, rushed her into surgery. The contents of the appendix infection had filled her abdomen. They got it as much as they could. But, the damage was done. She has been living with an abdomen filled with scare tissue wrapped around her intestines. She weighs 100 to 115 pounds, depending on how much she is blocked up. She has gone 3 months with out a bowel movement. Yes, her belly sticks out, looking like she is pregnant. If they do surgery now, they will take everything out and she will have a colostomy bag for the rest of her life and become very malnourished. She chose to live with the scare tissue and live with the daily pain. She is 76 now. I'm going to talk to her about donating her body to science, so future doctors will learn to listen and believe people when they come into the ER. Hopefully, her body can come to you. Can a person request their body go to a certain teaching school?
Surgery today is far advanced from that in the 70's. Your sister will have better quality of life with a ostomy. Not having a bowel movement for 3 months is conditions for a bowel rupture . What part of the country is she in .🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@leelastoma5809 Lake Tahoe, she has been to a few different doctors about this in the past 20 years. They all say the same. Because she had just a little bit of bowel that comes out every once in awhile during that 3 months, they consider her still having bowel movements. Their recommendation is total removal and a bag. She doesn't want a bag for the rest of her life.
My mother donated her body to science in Germany. We had to contact various Institutes before finding one that accepted her request. There were certain restrictions, for example they would not accept accident victims. Some institutes accept only bodies from close by. Some institutes were full at the time and there was a long waiting list. Paperwork needs to be done and signed by the person, they have to have their full mental capacities still. Family can not donate the body on their behalf. I don't know if it's the same where you live but I suggest you don't wait with it but get on it right away if she wants to donate her body. All the best!
I hope your family sued on your sister's behalf......& won.
I was in my 70s when I got an ostomy bag. BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO ME IN MANY YEARS.
My grandmother died from scar tissue wrapping around the small bowel. The surgeon said, typically 30 years after a hysterectomy, this can happen in women.
30 years later? OMG 😯 I'm so sorry.
Denmark calling 🇩🇰 my perpective on worst complication is VVF= Vesico Vaginal Fistula - a complication to giving birth and baby gets stuck in the birth canal, the pressure bursts the tissue and causes urine, blood and feces to come out all mixed up. Terrible situation if the woman even survives the incident! Can you make a video on that? 😊
That sounds horrifying and interesting to discuss.
My mom had her gallbladder removed a few years back. During the surgery they cut her liver by accident. They told her it would heal on its own, which it did, but after she became septic and had multiple blood transfusions. That’s my biggest fear of having any surgery. I think that would be the scariest complication of surgery.
I've gone through 13 Abdominal Surgeries, and almost died 5 times. They've caused me to have Chronic Pelvic Pain, from Adhesions since 2004 (I have ARD & CAPPS, because of them!)...I'd love to see you do a video on them, they're a much more common complication, from Abdominal Surgeries, and doctors don't worn patients about them. ✌
see my email-I have numerous extreme pains-some I think stem from incisional Hernias, I also wonder if it could be the Mesh used? as it's the same as there have been complaints about. I made the choices and like most thought it would never happen to me....ironically EVERY risk listed happened-including me bleeding out! and at one point nbeing awake at the ned of the surgery-though I suspect because they had had to go back into do a 2nd major op in 48 hours that was a deliberate choice to use very light sedation). BUT would love to understand more! ANYBODY?!?!
My mom recently passed away from a fistula. It made her dehydrated and couldn’t keep any nutrients in her. It was awful. .
Dude I had 2 C-Sections 24 and 26 years ago and I'm scared now. But seriously I love this channel and anatomy. You guys are next level!
I've had two C Sections, the last one more than a year ago, and still have some pain on my right side, especially if I sit for too long. Funny thing is the doctor commented about how well I had healed from my first one. Somehow I don't think I healed quite so well this time.
I had a partial splenectomy 17 years ago. 1 week surgery turned into a month due to complications, which resulted in a second surgery in that time period. I appreciate all the info you guys give, as someone not medically educated, it's still easy enough to learn how things effect the body and how the body functions.
Sepsis is the worst outcome for me.
This thing can kill you so fast and if it is due to a super bacteria you cant do much.
One thing worse that comes to mind is anything to do with the brain. Where it just straight up damages something. Either losing control of something or losing personality (who you are) because of it.
Survivor here. 7 months after having gastric bypass surgery I was out shopping with my family. All of a sudden the pain was so intense I couldn't breathe, couldn't talk. Developed a fistula between "new stomach" and old stomach, which is actually left free floating after RNY Gastric bypass. 6 hour emergency surgery to clean out food and infection from abdominal cavity. One week of healing and iv antibiotics in the hospital.
I had a fun complication right at 10 years ago. Hurt my back. Cauda Equina meant we went ahead with surgery. Discectomy/laminectomy at L5/6 (yeah I have an L6). Healed beautifully, resolved nerve damage. But during the pre-op imaging, the saw a 16 CM mass on my left ovary. 6 weeks later I went in and had a left salpingo-oopherectomy to remove a grapefruit-sized teratoma. 3 days later, I had a fever, and my recently-healed back incision is oozing. Yeah, somehow during the gyn surgery I went septic with staph and E. coli. They had to do serial debriding/wound vac (oh hey you just mentioned those) to remove necrotized tissue in my lumbar spine - 3 surgeries in 3 days. No good. Wound up in a wheelchair for 5 years due to weakness/neuropathy, have an implanted intrathecal pain pump, usually have to use catheters, and somehow triggered a latent autoimmune disease (Sjögrens for sure, but also a lot of arthritis, pancreatitis, issues with pretty much all of my organs...). I used to work in pharmacy informatics before this happened, now I'm disabled...
Lindsay, you seem to have lots of inner strength. I hope you continue to heal and recover.
You have "a lot on your plate" as they say. I Pray you steadily improve. 🙏
@Linda Sheffield I am so very sorry to hear of your health problems. You were really put thru the mill. I'm also in a wheelchair, the past few years. Different reasons, but nothing as dramatic as what you've been thru. I have decided this year that my husband and I are going to retire to Panama. 85 degrees all year round, and close to the equator which is supposed to be helpful for my condition (I have Fibromyalgia, among several other issues). I have lived my last winter in Canada! They have rainy and dry seasons. I am so over 4 seasons! Give me warm weather, beautiful beaches, fruit trees in my garden, and first class healthcare. If I'm going to be in poor health, maybe trying something different will make me better. Not fully recovered, but at least able to walk some, like a did a few years ago. I wish you a pain free life, with all the meds you need to be comfortable. I am hoping to get off a few if my health improves, with the better food, clean air, and positive ions(?) from the ocean. We will be selling everything, and taking 2 suitcases each, plus one carry on each.
@@investigator77 --- WOW! I am so inspired to read your story, and the decisions you've made for a new chapter in your life!
Safe travels to you! I think you will enjoy every the discoveries you will make in your new home. 🦋☀️🦋
I've moved around just a little, and learned to with old judgment about a new place until I've been there 4 years (it always seemed to take 4 years before I felt 'at home' in a new location). Best of luck to you!
@@OceanSwimmer thank you! I've been sitting at home, being depressed, never going anywhere except doctor's visits. I've gotten tired of all the tests, and scopes, and all the specialists. I'm going to try it for 6 months in the rainy season, when the prices are cheaper for rent. We're going First Class! Never been in first class, so we're going out in style. We are really excited about moving. We're going to rent a beautiful house, with a pool, that's right on the beach! Good luck to you too my friend.
I had an ileostomy 30 years ago, the muscles closed it so 10 days post op I had a revision a year later my large intestine removed. I still have pain on my left side the doctor calls it phantom pain.
This sounds like the pain from adhesions that I live with.
Yayy,I have two ostomies and will be getting another major ostomy surgery soon. I love this awareness!
I have Crohns and multiple fistula. Worst one is the one you describe. It lasted over a yr and was right next to my stoma. It was 5" wide by 7" long and 5" deep. The whole incision..was horrible they left it to heal from the bottom up. The contraption I had to wear covered from breastbone to public bone and my stoma and fistula. It took 3 people to change it every 3rd day. It was disgusting, plus skin breakdown, phys rehab to walk again, write and think straight. I was so sick, sepsis, organ failure, coma, life support. Love your channel.
My brother has had 4 surgeries to repair 2 abdominal hernias (courtesy of the VA). After the last one, he was told they were inoperable, and left him with a brace for the 'bad' days.
My mom (81) had a fistula on her colon and a bowl obstruction, she got operated. What really helped in recovery was for her to see a physio regularly at the beginning. She added some soft yoga movements and since, she feels much better, appetite has improved as well as digestion. Also, being active helps with the anxiety and fear of a recurrence.
I had a whole bunch of fistulae from my colon to my skin and it took multiple surgeries over 14 months, 2 lots of sepsis and an ICU stay to resolve it. Nightmare! No problems since though, thankfully!
I had neuroendocrine carcinoma attached to the strius muscle in my abdomen. First a biopsy, then radiation and chemo. It meant the incision from the biopsy didn't heal right and formed a huge seroma. It got worse after the surgery to remove the tumor. The seroma formed a fistula. I spent many days in hospital and blood transfusions and antibiotics. I wound up doing 40 days in hyperbaric oxygen chamber. There is a lot of scar tissue and sometimes it pulls. But I'm here to talk about it!
You explained entrocutaneous fistulas better than my GI doctor - thanks you for this info! I’ve been on TPN 5 months but my stoma is still open. It’s so painful and uncomfortable with a bag but it’s certainly better than it squirting everywhere which I endured for months!
OH BOY, have I got a fistula story for you! In 2000 I had a total hysterectomy. Was in the hospital for 7 day mainly because I was vomiting and they couldn't figure out why. Finally, I was able to keep it down enough to get discharged only to start again in the parking lot. Anyway, went to my follow up and discussed how horrible I was feeling, etc. Was told to get plenty of rest that my body was just recouping from major surgery.
One month from my surgery I was painting inside the house when all of a sudden I felt a gush of warmth down my legs. I looked down and I had urinated and both pant legs were completely wet! Shocked I went in and changed, but it kept happening. It was like I had no control. I tried to urinated in the toilet, but very little came out and noticed blood was present. Well went to ER and after tests with urologist, he determined that my bladder had been damaged (nicked) during surgery, this was why I was vomiting and so sick. He further explained that the damaged skin had finally sluffed off creating a large hole in my bladder and my body had created a fistula between the damage site the quickest exit point in my body....which was my vagina! Yes, I was peeing out of my vagina and had no control over it. To correct this required emergency surgery by a specialist 300 miles away. The odessy didn't end there but that was pretty much the highlights as it pertains to this video. I was amazed as to how fast the body reacts to situations like this. I was told the hole in the bladder was about the size of a quarter. And in case anyone is wondering what the gynecologist's said when confronted about her botched surgery, she said "Yeah, I saw that there was blood when I was in there but couldn't find where it was coming from so I finished and stitched you up!" So, I was bleeding and peeing inside my body!
What is the difference between a Fistula and Strictures? Internet search was useless. Also,could removing a large polyp via a colonoscope result in a fistula in that area?This is one of the very best videos you have ever done...Intense!
A fistula is an unnatural opening between two organs, like the bowel and the vagina. A stricture is the tightening of a natural opening, like the throat.
My son who is a quadriplegic has a ileostomy, since his surgery December of 2019 he’s been unable to sit up in his wheelchair due to abdominal pain, bloating, and relentless spasms, he’s unable to eat solids because of blockages, his out put is all runny, blood work is done every two week because his body doesn’t retain any nutrients! He’s currently on TPN! The doctors doesn’t know why he’s having abdominal pain when sitting up. We are still searching for answers
I had gastric bypass.. I wish I never had it..
I have heard this a lot. My sister-in- law says it was the worse-still fighting weight, pain, and bad depression! Prayers for you!
You and many other people I know🙏🙏
My mom battle with Crohns for more than 15 years. My mom would have been 55 this year. She recently passed away. But she went through more than 6 surgeries. I remember mixing together her TPN and bagging up multiple fistula that came about from one of her surgeries. Every Gastro surgery she was mark to get have stoma. My mom had so much scar tissue. Her Crohns begin to affect her kidney and heart. Mom develop short gut from her last surgery. Mom would have to have weekly hospital stay due to electrolyte deficiency. She had majority of her intestines and colon removed. Im learning more about crohns because I have chronic gastritis , GERD, and IBS.
I saw a video once of some surgical procedure, and near the end, a surgeon or someone, was cramming - jamming - intestines into the abdominal cavity. I mean, fingers extended on both gloved hands, forcing intestines back into the abdomen. I remember my (sorry) gut reaction to seeing that as outright shock and horror, that anybody could treat another person's body like that. Maybe it was a cadaver, I really don't know, but in my memory, it was some sort of surgery.
After complications from gastric bypass surgery my surgeon informed me there was a subcutaneous abdominal fistula. There were obstructions that formed at the new connections in the original surgery and during the second surgery the surgeon nicked a hole in my intestine and luckily for me that area of my intestine turned and stuck to my abdominal wall right under the small incision that was made. After the second surgery, they still had no idea what was wrong and went in a 3rd time which revealed the fistula and consequently I aspirated and wound up in ICU for a while with pneumonia. I had a nine in wound across my abdomen and was fitted with a very large colostomy bag. I spent 6 months in the hospital and endured several complications including a fungal infection in my blood that put lesions on my eyes and could have killed me. I had countless procedures and endless scans. Tests and blood work never stopped. I was on TPN for 4 months and that is what really saved my life along with the fabulous nurses and doctors that cared for me. After six months I had a 4th surgery to resection my intestine. I was cut from breastbone to bikini line, well below my bellybutton because adhesions were expected. Fortunately, I came through well and recovered nicely. That was almost 20 years ago and after watching this video I am definitely going to see my doctor to make sure everything is okay. I have pains in my abdomen that I can't explain and this video has me thinking about what it could be. Thank you so much for all the valuable information!
TPN comes with it's own unhelpful side effects too, just in case the rest wasn't brutal enough.
What’s TPN?
Total parenteral nutrition is nutrition via IV.
Yeah,being on TPN for two months....wasn't pretty. And going back to normal food was even worse. My heart goes out to all the fighters going trough that battle.
@@tokyotessie thanks 🙏
Diverticulitis is one of the most painful conditions I have ever had!
I truly believe you guys are saving my life. So glad I found this channel.
Endometriosis and Adenomiosis caused me to have mass fusions in my lower organ structures. I had to have hours of surgery to release my organs during my hysterectomy. I had severe pain with every menses until my hysterectomy. It was caused by a previous surgery, gall bladder removal and later by the endometriosis. I had cervical cancer, thus the hysterectomy. It was a life altering surgery for me. I went from not being able to stand up straight during my cycle to no pain at all anymore following the reconstruction and hysterectomy. I’m beyond grateful for my amazing oncology surgeon! I would LOVE to see a video on endometriosis and Adenomiosis
Thank you for explaining. I belong to a group that shares a commonality of rare ovarian cancer and various treatment options. I never understood why a surgeon would not do another abdominal surgery to remove cancer when another tumor would should up within a couple months of having abdominal surgery. I now fully understand why the placement and location of tumor removal are so critical and extremely different for all patients. I also have a family member with Crohn's who just had to have 10 ft of her intestines removed. This is so informative.
As a nurse, I think it's horrifying when surgical instruments are left in patients. The array of complications that it can cause is equally horrifying.
*I'm not an OR nurse and thankfully have never done this, but I once had a patient in my care who had this happen to them and they were suffering both acute and long-term complications as a result.
I had small intestinal bypass when I was 22. I think that's enough said. I have suffered years and years from vitamin deficiency diarrhea etc and have severe arthritis now at age 70
These videos are very comforting since losing my dad (retired osteopath), he used explain all things to me. Thank you.
Happy to play our part
After losing 2stone during University I was finally diagnosed with Crohn's, four years of perianal abscesses and fistulae that had to be drained and scraped out every few months ,finally my surgeon found the fistulaic tracts that were causing the abscesses to just keep reforming..it was excruciating...then I had to have my severely diseased splenic flexure and sigmoid removed...after a few months of recovery I was feeling better and eventually my perianal disease healed up but with lots of scarring...6 months later I had the worst small bowel obstruction I've ever had, after 3 days they had to go in and found 10 inches had twisted and died....since then had to have resection after resection..if I had known about adhesions I would have tried to never have surgery in the abdo in the first place but as I didn't respond to any standard Crohns drug back then...since then the adhesions have caused so many problems and frequent obstructions, in the end my only option was a permanent ileostomy, I thought my life was over and I was only in my early 30s...but it still wasn't over....this stoma has had to be revised 6 times due to adhesions stricturing or pulling back in every stoma I had, ended up needing hysterectomy as the womb fell backwards and attached to the sacrum...I have been on TPN once, have been on every drug there is..have lost as much small bowel as I possibly can b4 having to be on TPN permanently if this stoma too either strictures or herniates like the others....what bowel I have left is literally stuck to everything else and itself...the only drug that has managed to control my Crohn's is Humira but I dread the long term consequences of immunosuppression as I have seen my dad go through some awful cancers caused primarily by years of azathioprine for his own Crohn's. I was very lucky I did not have a trigger happy surgeon, but he has now retired....so every time I get an obstruction I fear that it will require surgery...which would prob be the end of me...I cannot stress enuf the risks of ANY abdominal surgery....as he says there will always b consequences....after 30+ years of this, the last 19 with a stoma...my abdomen, what's left of it is literally like a concrete spider web, with bladder and gynae complications I would never have anticipated. My diet is boring as hell cos I have been on be so careful to keep from getting obstructions....I wish anyone out there dealing with IBD the very best...and hope that with the new biologics etc around many of them can avoid the same issues that I have had. It can really screw up your life!!
I am a visiting RN, and I have seen some very gross open fistulas and surgical incisions that we treated with wound care mainly wound vacuum and large doses of IV antibiotics. At the same time, we care for the ostomies or TPN. Those visits can take me almost all day, and we do it at least 3 times a week. I really feel for these patients.
I find your videos fascinating! I've had several surgeries over the years and never had a visual reference of what was actually happening. Keep up the good work!
I’m a layperson and immediately recognized the evidence of diverticulitis when he opened the abdomen.
There is no way I could ever be a doctor. Thank God for the many good ones.
Fascinating. I would love to see more videos on this subject. Thank you for the content you do for us, so helpful and informative.
I want to THANK you two for taking the time to share your massive information!! I've always been overly curious and you two have answered so many of my questions!! I once had my handwriting analyzed and he kept saying this person is extremely curious!! But I have never had enough money to go to enough colleges to satisfy my curiosity. The way you explain things is so fascinating!! Thank-you, Thank-you!!
Mine wasn’t life-threatening or TOO serious, but I experienced temporary hypocalcemia after my thyroidectomy… I had NO idea about parathyroid glands or that they even existed. No one knows how crucial they are to your body functioning. Would love to see this topic in a video!
We are totally controlled by our hormones!
Man i started sweating when he got to the chrons part. I have UC and i heard about these fistulas thing but it was never explained this thoroughly to me.
You are a terrific teacher! So easy to understand - thank you!💕
I want to say hello to all of you because you're fumes are amazingly educational but I'm sure makes people think before they leap. I truly am impressed, I went to school for massage therapy and once we started on anatomy and physiology I was blown away by what the human body can do and what it does. Thank you guys I'm watching all of your films and I am saving each of them in my personal files
I just had a hysterectomy so this scarring video is very informative. I have a vertical incision along the connective tissue/linea alba. I am hoping for no crazy complications. I still have a bunch of staples and stitches and look like Frankenstein's bride but my major worry is keloids.
i hope everything is going ok!
@@Michael-es4dt I am doing fine. Review in March. Thank you for asking.
Very informative video! I had severe abdominal pain starting in February.. I went to see my doctor and was
Told I should go to the E.D. because I had a history of severe fibroids in my uterus or it could be diverticulitis as that showed up on an MRI I had done for a kidney stone 6 months before. I then delayed going to the ED as I had to clean my house before going into the hospital. 10 days later I went to the ED and they admitted me immediately. I had a laparotomy and they removed an abscess off of my ovary (or so they thought)! I was sent home 4 days later with a drain and directions to see the doctor the following Friday. I didn't make it till Friday as the drain started to come out of my incision. I then started feeling VERY sick and disoriented. I then started to feel like I was dying and asked my cousin who was over visiting to drive me to the ED. I was immediately admitted straight to ICU where I stayed until surgery.
My BP plummeted to 56/28 and I truly felt like I was dying. This time the surgery was an open (/full cut) to find out what was going on! They found food floating around inside my abdominal cavity! It ended up being a 4.5 HOUR SURGERY with 4 surgeons. They NEVER found the hole in my intestines. Later the surgeon told me in all his years performing surgery he has never had a case where he couldn't find the hole. I ended up with 29 staples, 3 drains, a colostomy, a central line, on a respirator with an NG Tube! I was on 7-8 different IV's of antibiotics and 2 antifungals! I've never felt soooooo sick in my life and had only been in the hospital as an inpatient once for a knee replacement! Now I just saw the surgeon on Thursday to plan out the ostomy reversal and a hysterectomy at the same time! I now know why he is so concerned about moving all the organs around to get to the uterus and the rectum for reattached!
I love your videos. Had my abdomen and pelvis anatomy exam 2 days ago, nice revision hehe
In 2005, I had my son by repeat C-section. An infection caused an abscess to form the size of a basketball. After a successful removal I had an aneurysm rupture in the aortic artery going to my stomach. The doctors were able to fix the tear. I was left with an infectious wound that slowly healed from the inside out. After 4 months later I had a fistula form in the center of the wound. I had to be transferred to a university hospital & see a specialist. I was able to have reconstructive surgery to fix the fistula & later to completely remove the infectious wound. 9 surgeries in six months and 2 years to completely heal. I finally felt like the “old me”. Thank you for posting this video and showing more in-depth information on this condition.
Acute compartment syndrome.
Literally the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life.
Hello , I love what you do and how you explain everything. Well in 2014 I had to have a total abdominal hysterectomy due to anemia, about 4/5 days after I was home and resting I realized I was leaking bladder and couldn’t control it, I was told it was a vesicovaginal fistula, IVE NEVER HEARD OF IT AND ITS NEVER MENTIONED BEFORE SURGERY, Well let me tell you I went through it Two years of trying to repair the fistula and the doctors couldn’t find it after having 3 different types of surgeries having one through an incision in my vaginal area still couldn’t find it anyway after two years of wearing a catheter hopefully the fistula would close up by itself.. SO WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN AND WHY DOESNT MORE DRS TALK MORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE TO THIS DAY IM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. Thank you for your time 🙏by the way it took 8 different specialists to help me, by the way I also had two large tumors that had to be removed .
It seems like they went overboard doing a hysterectomy for anemia. They have many treatments for anemia that don’t involve surgery
Same here. 10 years later I'm still having issues but really don't know what they are because I don't have insurance.
Doctors don't share the risks or side effects because patients would refuse the surgery. If every woman with benign conditions refused to have a hysterectomy - as recommended by her doctor - the doctor & hospital wouldn't be as profitable. Hysterectomies are a $$$ maker.
Question about SURGERY GONE WRONG. Can an MRI detect any of the adhesions/scar tissue after an open surgery (boobs to hairline in female)? I had a full open hysterectomy by a young doctor with little experience. This surgery was in 2013 , and ever since, I've had incredible abdominal distension with constipation. My current CT scan shows my ENTIRE Colin is severely inflamed and thickened. I was diagnosed with PANCOLITIS, but I don't have the diarrhea. Just wondering if an MRI or CT Scan would show any adhesions. I also have a track in part of my scar, around my belly button that "junk" comes out of. I can actually stick an entire toothpick into the open track in my scar. Can you plz email me at jaimesillett@gmail.com ? More videos on injuries to the abdomen due to surgeries would be great.
Yikes. I'm glad I read through these comments. In March I was rushed to the ER due to uterine hemorrhaging. I'm also anemic. I was considering a hysterectomy eventually, but I think I'll stick to taking progesterone and iron. 🤔
Good Job.---- My Mother died in 1961 because of Gangrene & paternities ( I know I misspelled the words), from a hernia operation. Years before that she had had a ruptured appendix as a child and a C birth in 1945. Your information better explained why she died. Thank you , I know longer feel the Doctor could have prevented her death.
I would love to see a video on cancer tumours. I always wanted to know what would happen if someone chose not to treat their cancer at all, what would happen inside the body. What would it look like, what does the person look like on the outside, how long does it take to pass away, what effects does the cancer cause without any treatment?