perforated bowel during routine colonoscopy

[byhawkins]

I went ibn fior a routinc colonoscopy that my Dr, AVery Gibbs felt was needed since my firt colonoscopy had bee 0over 10 years ago.  Dr, Avery introduced Dr, Galbreith as the surgeon who would be doing the proceedure.

I went in for the colonoscopy on August,21, 2008. Dr, Mark Galbraith, I find out after the fact, is not a GI Doctor but a specialist in infectious disease,  Had I been informed of his specialty I would have immediately asked to be refurred to Dr, Kitchen's group where i had had a previous colonoscopy 12 years previously.  Thr results of that procedure showed healthy tissue with now problems.  I was woken up shourtlly after going under to Dr, Galbraith telling me my bowel was truncated and therefore was perforated during the beginning of the procedure. He said it happened very rarely so they were calling to find a surgen available to do emergency surgury to repain the dsmage and tha quitelikely I might have to wear a bad for feces outside of me body which hopefully could  be repaired in another surgery later on after healing.  I was put under and woke up with Dr. Hyre telling me the tissue all looked fine and he had repaing th damage with staples as welk as sutures,  I immediatelu expressed my concern about my metal allergy.
Neither Doctor thought I would be allergic to the staples they use.  I was medicated for the pain, which triggered a migrain headach that lasted 4 days.  I also had explosive direah.  Dr. Hyre had the feces cultured and found that at leat 2 different bacterial had been spilled into my abdomin during the surgery.  He began giving me IV antibiotics and said I should be much better in 48 hours.  I was sicked after the first antibiotic and several others wer tried without results.  I then discovered my abdomen had been closed up with surgical staples and in addition to the extreame redness and pain I was having from the infection I got in the hospital red ichy blotches wire getting bigger and even around on my back and arms.  More antibioticta were tried and finally Dr Hyre agreed to open ther wound removing the staples.  He left 4 in easch end and the ordered I go on a would vac to help the healing process.  A RN, Yavonne Smith advocated for me to have the remaining staples out also and with in a few days they were taken out and I saw a change for the better.

So many IVs had been put in my arms they were sore and two of the nurses decided the Dr. should order a pic line put into my chest to handle all the IV antibiotics and pain medicines.  Luckly, thr nurses saw the beginning of improvement quite quickly and my IV;s were discontinued and I was put oral medicines,

I feel it was very poor care to not react more quickly when I initially reminded them of my metal allergy!  I felt my thought gettin itchy also and asked if I could have some bennedryl.  I was amazed that it hadn't been ordered immediately, I had the sence to ask for it which I did receive after about 24 hours.

I have been on a would vac until the 2nd week of October under the care of Home Health Nurses and now have graduated to be able to change the wound every day independently.

I still have an internal spot that is very sore and painful.  I am unable to do any lifting, housework or go back to teaching.  The fear, financial and  emotional burdens on  not only myself but my husband and children has been extremely stressful.

Every Nurse that treated me at Winchester Medical Center was amazed that Dr. Galbraith had performed a procedure out of his specialty area.   I have had the same reaction from the Home Health Team!

What should I do now?




This discussion is related to pain  2 years after surgery.

[byhawkins]

Thank you so much for your support!  And I am so sorry to hear of you and your Mother's horrible experiences.

[TrudieC]

Sue.  My mother had her bowel perforated during a barium enema procedure by a nurse several years ago and she has had ongoing problems since.  She didn't do anything at that time since her husband was very ill and she needed to depend on that hospital.  The anger she has inside contributes to her health issues.

I was in the hospital for ulcerative colitis 15 years ago and knew that something awful had happened due to the increase in pain.  I buzzed for the nurse and was told that I needed to learn how to better manage the pain.  I tried calling doctors, anyone and got nowhere.  I awakened in the morning to a team reviving me.  I was almost dead in bed due to a bowel perforation.  I then had a total colectomy and went on to have a J-pouch created.  I never said or did anything because I needed to rely on that hospital and I am still so angry that I didn't at least send a nasty letter to have that nurse disciplined.  Don't let your anger fester.