infection after laparoscopy

[Jennyrose]

OK all. I have a question. I posted this on the endo board, but that one does not seem to be very active. Please help!

How many of you had an infection after laparoscopic surgery? I have had a few surgeries, but never had this complication. My belly button wound got infected. I identified it and went in very quickly. The doctor on call took a culture and put me on Keflex. I went in for a follow-up with my regular doctor (who performed the surgery). The test results were only partially in and showed that it was Staph, resistant to penicillin, but not some other antibiotics. It's not MRSA. She told me the bacteria was susceptible to the Keflex and to Cipro, for which she wrote me a scrip to take when the 7 days of Keflex was gone. She said this would take a while to go away. So now, while the infection does not look to be getting worse, it is getting better very slowly (yes, she warned me). But I am google-happy and everything I read says this stuff is awful and contagious. So, I am cleaning everything like mad, doing tons of laundry, wearing gloves to touch stuff and spraying disinfectant on everything. I feel fine and have no fever or anything. The wound is draining slightly, but not much, just ugly and ***** (sorry for the graphic).

My question is--how many of you had an infection like this after surgery? If so, was your doctor more concerned than mine seems to be? Did you have to have the wound opened and cleaned out? How do you know when the infection is gone? How long did yours take to go away?? aaaargh.......

Thanks,
Jennyrose

[old_before_my_time]

I'm sorry you're suffering this complication! I cannot speak from experience as to the seriousness of this nor how long it will take to heal. I hope the ab's take care of it!

[Lapgal]

Hi Jenny, I know your post is from 2009. But I am having the exact same issue. I'm about to hit day 30 of antiobiotics next week of Keflex. My dumb surgeon lady hasn't even cultured the fluid coming from my belly button. She just rushes and looks at it , then feels around it and says... oh it looks like another infection. Well duh Sherlock, but why???? I follow up with her Tuesday and I'm just gonna be straight forward and demand a culture, and an ultra sound! I'm so frustrated. If you still monitor your thread, I was wondering if your infection cleared on day 27 of the antiobiotics?  

[etty4]

Hello,,i had surgery.mar25 of this year,to remove right ovary,laproscopic surgery,surgery went well, now 7 months later i wake up with crust around my bellybutton, no ordor just a orange color discharge,im freaking out.and im going away on vacation i planned months ago..now i tryed calling my doctor whos away himself.and im leaving tomorrow morning  any one can tell me if this happened to them and what was done? tyvm

[etty4]

Hello,,i had surgery.mar25 of this year,to remove right ovary,laproscopic surgery,surgery went well, now 7 months later i wake up with crust around my bellybutton, no ordor just a orange color discharge,im freaking out.and im going away on vacation i planned months ago..now i tryed calling my doctor whos away himself.and im leaving tomorrow morning  any one can tell me if this happened to them and what was done? tyvm

[MrDonaldson]

I'm a male that just had gallbladder surgery about two weeks ago.  All sounds are healing fine except the one they used as drainage.  It became infected and would not close so after 9 days I went back to the hospital and they sutured it, but that caused and infection and sudden seepage into the lining between the skin and muscle, so I have developed a bulky bulging pocket of fluids which contain infected fluids.  The doctor re-opened the word and inserted a plastic tube, put me on antibiotics and sent me home.  Its still seeping inside the cavity between my skin and muscle, and the hole is actually getting larger.  There is no real pain, but the seepage has me concerned and the hols size increasing on its own also has me worried.  Is there anyone else out there that has experienced anything like this?

[Sammstate]

Hello I had laproscopic in August of this year, so its only been about three months, to take out a 4.5 cm cyst on my right ovary. And now I am experiencing ALOT of problems and im not 100% what to do about them. Almost EVERYDAY i have to wear a bandage because of the odor coming from my belly button. my DR put me on antibiotics for the first month after surgery because i started experiencing problems right away. Im just at a point where i feel stuck, it ruins all my shirts ive had to switch my bed sheets multipul times a week. and more often than not i wake up with blood gushing out. I got the swab done and my obgyn says its "pelvic fluid" what ever that is. And WHY is it coming out of my belly button?! See now ive always had a tender belly button, and i am a heavier woman too so i cant get all up in there and see the source directly but i know from the smell, the puss, and the extreme pain something isnt right. Im scared maybe the surgery didnt go right. Anyone have suggestions?

[Sammstate]

Hello I had laproscopic in August of this year, so its only been about three months, to take out a 4.5 cm cyst on my right ovary. And now I am experiencing ALOT of problems and im not 100% what to do about them. Almost EVERYDAY i have to wear a bandage because of the odor coming from my belly button. my DR put me on antibiotics for the first month after surgery because i started experiencing problems right away. Im just at a point where i feel stuck, it ruins all my shirts ive had to switch my bed sheets multipul times a week. and more often than not i wake up with blood gushing out. I got the swab done and my obgyn says its "pelvic fluid" what ever that is. And WHY is it coming out of my belly button?! See now ive always had a tender belly button, and i am a heavier woman too so i cant get all up in there and see the source directly but i know from the smell, the puss, and the extreme pain something isnt right. Im scared maybe the surgery didnt go right. Anyone have suggestions?

[MzJenny82]

I had Laparoscopic surgery done to remove my GB on Sept. 2 did not go home till the following day in the afternoon due to pain. On Sept.6 noticed small discharge. On Sept.7 it was LEAKING crazy with discharge and smelled not so good. On Monday, Sept. 8 it was JUST FOUL smelled like death. Went into ER they opened me back up to get in and clean and attack infection, was discharged the following day with antibiotics, an open wound that has to be packed with wet to dry dressing procedure. Also, amoxicillin/Pot Clavul 500/125. 2 days later was called back into ER that I have an infection that spread to blood so they had me go back and  was admitted mind you thru all this I was always having chills ,fevers , night sweats, I even told the doctor I was not ready to be discharged the following day after surgery. Then they tell me that it's ok to go home kept me on same antibiotics and I asked well what do I have they said we still don't know what bacteria but we will keep testing your labs. I go a follow up Sept.15 mind you it's suppose to be with the surgeon that did the surgery negative it was with some other doctors on his team they come tell me all is good, blahhh blahhh blahhh and I ask what is wrong with me? Tell me!!! What bacteria do I have they finally say it's call Actinomyces it's kind of a hard bacteria to kill we will keep you on antibiotics for 3 months and after it's gone, wound will close I said how long will that take they replied 2 months. I WAS LIKE WTF!! it is so uncomfortable walking around with a hole and stuffing it and leaking ...UHhhhHhHHh is anyone going thru this?? If so, How long did it take you?

[Jennyrose]

Thank you Jules. That was an old post from 2009. It took a whole month of Cipro before mine was gone, but I was fine after that. No reoccurrence of the infection. My doctor was great with follow up to make sure it was gone too. Hope yours goes away fast!

[Julesinlove]

Hi there, last week I went to my GP with an infection in my belly button ( laproscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy 3 weeks earlier). The doctor sent of a swab and put me on amoxicillin 850/125gm while the tests were getting done. It turns out to be a heavy growth of mixed anaerobes which is a bacterial infection.The doctor booked an abdominal ultrasound to make sure it hadn't affected the organs or other areas. I'm still on the tablets until all tests are done and was told that if I start feeling nausea or have a fever or pains in the stomach to go back to the hospital where it was done. I hope you get well soon and find a thorough doctor like I have.

[Samruder]

I had this surgery 2 weeks ago on June 27. This was the 7th for overian cyst (PCOS) & 1time for gallbladder surgery, so 8 times through my belly button. Woke up day 2 after this last surgery and I had a hard knot that hurt like everything and my belly button was weeping & gross. Never happened before so I panic. I then start passing clots. So call doctor & he acts kind of like why are you calling me. So, went in Monday, it's infected. I'm taken 1600 mg of an antibiotic a day. Started throwing up this morning, still hurts & the weeping is worse. I don't understand why it was if no big deal to the doctor. I also have Lupus & Fibromyalgia so I am worried about my immune system being low. I hope everyone that reads this & is going through this gets better soon.

[Jessiica_Bunniie]

Hi
I had a laproscopy nearly 2 years ago, ive had a similar infection on and off.
Excuse my graphics but its oozing green puss, red, sore, quite smelly and down right gross.
I am a very hygienic person and always making sure im clean yet no antibiotics have helped and the more I take the worse it gets.
It has gotten to the point I cant sleep because I feel sick from looking at it or anything and because of the pain.
Im not sure what's going on but I was told I should organise to go in and have surgery to clean it out and find the cause.

Would be great to receive some insight, Whats your opinions?
Quite worried a out it as its been nearly 2 years...

[dacro]

Reading your post brings me a little comfort as mine seems to be cronic.  I had a hysterectomy in 1992 and its been infected off and on. i would go to the doctor and they said it had to do with hte surgery and would give me some cream but they didn'tknow what it was.  Finaly about five years ago, a FNP told me to use what is used for jock itch.  That cleared it up and I had no problem until recently.  Hwever I've been on Antiboiotices for the last two months due to an ear infection and thinking that since I hadn't been on Antibiotices for five years but was prior that there may be a connection.  

[Debtrap]

Elle 94,
      No I havn't but I'm going for a lap in two weeks and I keep on reading recovery stories about pain and infection like yours....Despite the infection how are you feeling? Belly buttons make me squirmish too! I'm sure the antibiotics should clear it up, did u get a fever from it?
Deb

[Elle94]

Hi,
I also had a laproscopy four days ago.
Two days after the surgery my gauze was mouldy looking in appearance and smelt foul. I went to the doctors but on examination the nurse said she was hesitant to change and clean my dressings because of risk of damaging the stitches.
Failing to improve, I went to another doctor yesterday and she took one look at it and changed everything immediately. She too placed me on Keflex, instructing me to clean the wounds and change the gauzes daily.
I am experiencing an almost hardening sensation in my belly button which makes it uncomforable to move, redness, and itching. The smell has disappeared. I am hoping this just clears up with the antibiotics.
Does anyone have any insight or suggestions for me? I absolutely hate belly buttons so this surgery has made me extremely squimish.

[hannahspanner]

Hiya, I had this surgery on friday for The second time and today it has started weeping and looks for sure to be infected! A very sticky belly button! This has happened twice now, I also have blood clots! So don't feel ur alone as this has happend twice now, I'm just off to the docs hoping to get some anti biotics!
Good luck xx

[happyaslarry]

Thanks Jennyrose! Yes I have a similar thing- just looks like a sticky belly button but is a nasty infection none-the-less! No fever or anything either...it is strange isn't it. I think my only option now is to have it cauterized...ouch! But if it clears it up I will be so grateful.

Happy healing!

happyaslarry

[Jennyrose]

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry about that. I am not sure how strep compares to staph on the persistance scale. I hope that it clears up soon. It's strange that will all the available antiobiotics, that it is only susceptible to amoxicillin. I know that many people have sensitivities to antibiotics. I so rarely have had to take them thankfully, but I haven't had side effects when I do have to.

It's funny. I read all these horror stories of people with infections (not necessarily on this site) and I really only had a sticky belly button, although I know the infection was also in a pocket under my skin that the doc could feel. Never ran a fever or felt bad. I did catch it early. I just finished my 27th day of antibiotics and don't need to go back in unless I see any signs of it coming back. I will be very vigilant over the next few weeks!

Take care,
Jennyrose

[happyaslarry]

I have had an infected belly button post lap for 3 months now- Strep not Staph- but similar in that it is resistant to antibiotics. In fact in my case it is resistant to all antibiotics except amoxycillin (which I am allergic to and can't take). So my doctors response is that there is nothing that they can do. Great!!

I sympathize greatly...my mood is low...and seemingly nothing can be done to clear this infection.

I hope you have more luck!

[Jennyrose]

Thanks. I was thinking the same thing. I have seen a few postings from women who said their belly button got infected, but they weren't specific as to staph or anything. I was worried because staph can get ugly. I had a follow-up this week and it was much improved. This next week of meds should clear it up. I still feel sooo much better than I did with the cyst there that this is a piece of cake! Thanks again.

Jennyrose

[MarieMichele]

Nobody has responded, so that tells me this is one of the less-common complications of laparoscopic surgery.  It is hard to say how long it will take to clear the infection.  Much depends on which antibiotic will work most effectively for you.  Some infections take days to cure while others can take weeks.  I hope you are cured of this problem soon!