Belly Button Infection After Laproscopic Surgery

Digestive health
1

I had my Gallbladder out on the 22nd June 2010.

I have had a soft belly all the way so thats great. And the bruising was bright yellow, but is already fading, and cosmetically I am delighted with everything!

But today I have had soreness on the actual cut site which is deep inside my Belly Button - which is getting worse, and a slight rise in temperature, and this afternoon it has a very faint but weird smell when I removed the dressing to change it. I think there is a high chance it is infected. The thing is, I know I have to see a Doctor, and will do that tomorrow as soon as possible. But has anyone any idea on future wound care in this location? as I was told nothing when I asked about it at the hospital upon discharge.

2

You really must see the doctor as you've mentioned. However, I'm surprised that you still have the wound covered. In the majority of cases you can remove the dressing the day after the operation. Wounds generally heal better in the air!

Hope you feel better soon

3

Seen 2 nurses now (one on the 25th June and one in a walk-in centre on the 5th July)- the doctor is busy until mid next week, and I was told to wait as \"it doesn't sound urgent\" (according to the Practice Nurse)...I really do think it's infected and I'm worried.

I had no follow up with the surgeon, which surprised me as less than 30 of my operations have been performed in the last 2 years, as it is so new and only 14 of those, within the UK.

I had Scarless, Deep Navel, Single Incision Laproscopic Surgery. That means one incision very deep inside the navel only, using Micro robotic instruments.

Both nurses have just peered in over the top, without physical contact and said it looks ok. The first said go home and take a hot shower - the other said keep packing it with dressing - but its so new a technique, that they don't actually seem to know what they are looking at. My navel was always very deep, and now it isn't because of the inside swelling and redness, but the incision is very deep inside so without doing something like using one of those tools they look in your ears with - I don't really know how you'd see it - all I do know is that it doesn't look right and it has an odour now.

My temperature is a little raised, but nothing dramatic, but my belly button hurts all the time , is warmer than the rest of the skin, and the pain radiates out a little, and there is a bloody discharge. I'm now at 18 days on and this is getting worse. To me this says infection. But I just don't know anymore. I've emailed the surgeon but there has been no response.

Any suggestions because the medical profession don't seem to be able to advise me or give me peace of mind because the procedure is just too new.

Thank you.

4

make yourself a nusence at your docs if necessary - i had an open op and the scar opened compleatly within 3 days of leaving hospital - i took 2 months to heal and i was going to the nurse at the dr's every other day for evaluation and re dressing - i was re dressing the wound myself and going through 60 large dressings a week!! it took me 6 weeks to get antibotics prescribed!! i was having to set the alarm to change dressings in the early hours, otherwise i would turn over in the night and the bed would be soaked - my mum got me a a plastic materess protector to save the materess just in case!!!!

please make a nusence at the surgery - even if you are going to have dressings changed - eventually the nurse will get fed up and seek a dr to take a look.

5

Yeah what you need is some Co-amoxiclav or something smile

6

I'm experiencing similar problems 18 months on after surgery and am getting nowhere! Did you ever get sorted?

7

I had to go repeatedly back. It was very frustrating. The thing that convinced them to actually do something, was when I was seen with a high temperature and pain...lots of pain.... in the navel. That's when I was given swab test, which identified the actual bacteria that was the problem.

I had 4 courses of antibiotics, which I had to take 4 times a day, and I had this antibiotic liquid that I had to use 3 times a day, with a sterile wipe and get it right inside the navel. I also had to change the dressings at that time too. It took over 3 months to stop being infected, but I got there. You really do need that swab done.

I still get reoccurring infections there, but now they know they have to give me more antibiotic liquid and a course of pills for it, and it clears up pretty fast.

When I had the surgery the sweat gland in my navel, and the nerves were damaged, and so now I have to be extra vigilant when showering, and point at high pressure the shower head into the navel so it's properly flushed out. Then I use a clean soft tissue rolled into a cone, to dry it properly afterwards. I also ensure that I disinfect the showerhead each time, with a quick squirt of Dettol, as I know the chance is minimal, but I don't want any bacteria splashing back onto the showerhead and sitting there, to cause problems later

Get back to your GP or go to a Walk In Centre and ask them to take a swab of the area and get it bacteria screened.

Good luck.

8

I had my gallbladder removed before Christmas and had a slight discharge from my belly button which was

Swabbed - all ok. A week ago I found a discharge which was blood stained - I went to on-call doc and he prescribed flucloxacillin. I still have the discharge which is now yellow in colour - should I see the doc again or just hope it settles on its own?

9

Yes - See a Doctor - If in doubt - get checked out! If it is an infection - then it could get worse, might as well get it sorted early.

10

Thanks for your reply. I went and made an appointment as soon as doc's opened and I'm seeing him first thing tomorrow

11

I dont like the idea of docs cutting open the navel button, i dunno why they do it, mine is the deep type as well.

If i have to have my GB taken out I will refuse the navel route.

@Amaranth: do you have any side-effects after the surgery ? anything like running for a "No. 2" after meals ?

12

I don't appear to have had any noticeable side effects after the surgery, except that my belly button feels different now. I can't explain it nor can I be definite that this is down to the surgery, it just feels weird now. I guess this may be down to the healing in my abdomen as they had to go through a lot of scar tissue which caused major problems for the surgeon doing the operation. Sorry I can't be of more help..

13

Hey Trex,

With regards to side-effects, read several posts on this site, but remember, people with problems will always shout louder than those without. I don't really have any problems, but if I eat a too high fat meal, then yes, I get a runny tummy, because the liver dumps Bile into the guts and the guts say no. Its not like there is no warning. I mean I start getting gut gurgles and cramps, and then I know I have to get to a loo sharpish, but you can do preventative measures if you are going to have a high fat meal. Such as make sure you have a high fibre diet anyway, and on the day take immodium, and other over the counter products, and as a lady, I line my knickers with a sanitary product, just in case (sorry if T.M.I. but I have a male friend who asks if he can have one or two and sticks them in his pants, if he is going out for a high fat meal with his mates, just so he feels safer). But I have to be honest and say I am soooooooo much better off without the GB than with it.

As far as the Naval type - I have a deep set naval and the infections were a pain, but it was manageable as long as I kept on top of it. I had my surgery in June 2010, and my naval is completely normal now. I get the occasional infection but that's only if I haven't taken care to cleanse the site when showering, and dry it after, where as before I'd wash it well, but not actually take time to dry it inside. It actually didn't hurt like I thought it would. If anything, deep inside, it felt shallower, but visibly and now a few years on, it feels no different than before.

The surgery I had was in the Redhill Hospital in Surrey, and was Scar-less, Clip-less, Laproscopic surgery, using Micro instruments. I have no other entry points other than via the naval which is invisible as the incision was very deep, so no scars or incisions on the surface, and also, I have no clips left inside me. I would recommend this treatment for anyone worried about appearances or number of entry points, provided your surgeon agreed. I was a guinea pig for the technique, but I believe it is wider available if requested, and you are able to choose where you have surgery and by whom, via the Book and Choose service the NHS offer.

I should say that if you don't go the navel route - then you may well be left with a painful several inch long deep incision in your side. The navel heals quickly and has limited nerves, so pain is more like a deep bruise than an all out "OH GOD I NEED MORPHINE AND DRUGS!!!!!!" - and this is something coming from someone (me) who believes I am allergic to pain! LOL.

I hope you don't have your GB out, but if you do, it is unlikely to be as bad as you think it will be - and this also comes from someone who was so terrified of the prospects of side-effects, I virtually drove myself into a mental breakdown from fear!....... and now I know I was wrong to be so afraid, as for me, I took my time in recovery by realllllyyyy slowly re-introducing foods, so that I hoped it would almost re-teach my body how to respond to fats, without using the gallbladder to do it. The people I know who did have issues, were those who as soon as they were out of hospital, dived into a diet of junk and high fats almost immediately - then wondered why they were ill. I didn't have a full fatty meal until 18weeks after the operation, and even then, I ate a lot of fibre in the day to help my body when the fats arrived. I was soooooo looking forward to that Fish and Chip meal - and when I had it, I found I didn't like it, because it tasted too fatty and greasy anyway! Hahahhahahahaaa!

Good luck out there Trex. :o)

14

Hi JinnyJinxed

Thank you for this informative post as an experienced GB surgery patient.

Although it is said the majority of people dont suffer side effect i've heard about lots of people who cant get out of the house and their life is set around the toilet, running to it with sudden, severe, explosive diarreah, i just dont want to be one of them, the risk is 5-14% (i think) and i just dont want to be in that risk group.

What is a too high fat meal ? KFC, pizza, burger & chips, ice-cream ? even if you have sandwiches they're all loaded with mayonaise. The liver is alway releasing bile and because there is no storage sack its trickling in to the bowel constantly. If you eat a high fibre diet isn't it worse ? i mean the bile from the liver and the fibre in the colon together will make you rush even faster to the toilet ? btw, immodium doesnt work on holidays abroad in the tropics. But imagine, on a nice romantic dinner in a restuarant, as soon as you're finsished half eating, it will be whoosh - a super dash for the nearest toilet just to find a queue of people waiting.

I've seen some surgeries done via the 3 incision laparoscopy with the 3rd being the navel where the GB has been pulled out, the navel looks really messed-up and scary (ohhh noo, that is a no-no) and now as you say you have to always take care of the cut in the navel even though you had yours in 2010, even after 4 years?! but if its just small cuts in the abdomen they will heal over time and then disappear. You have take so much care of the navel now forever..., so isnt it preferable just to have the normal laporoscopy rather than the navel route ? (i dont mean the 2 inch open cut accross the abdomen, in the normal version they use three small 2cm cuts) and after the surgery doesnt it feel kind of weird and prickly inside the navel and does it not look all messed-up ?

btw, Why do they leave clips inside ?

Were you private on the nhs ? bcause where I am they dont do pick & choose surgeon.

I am more scared of the side-effects than the surgery and a messed-up navel i have to take care of forever. I cant even stand the thought of constantly running to the toilet 16-20 times a day with sudden explosive diarreah. I heard people who arent doing junk food and taking it slowly and still they have this problem.

GB is removal is a side-effect on its own - if you have it removed bile makes you give diarreah and also for other people it gives constipation. Opiods also give constipation. Diarreah and constipation is the cause another condition/illness called 'piles' and if you reach to 3rd degree piles for not showing your bottom much earlier to the doctor because of embarrassment this will lead to another surgery through the bottom which the recovery is EXTREMELY SEVERE PAINFUL for several week.

have to you tried any natural remedies before your op such as homeopathy ? ACV ?

15

I was told to remove the dressing after 3days but before that to keep the dressings dry which I didi had my op the 22nd july its sore but been bathing with warm salt water havent put a dressing back on not sure if a bit infected because when I have to go out my trousers or shorts cut across where the incision is by belly button got some antibiotics

16

Hey smile

Just wondering how you got on with this? Has it fully healed now? I've had the same issue for the last 8 months now and I'm concerned about it, I have been on 8 lots of antibiotics my gyno cut it open to see if it had puss in it but he said it was fine and it will heal itself but it's been another 4 months since then and still not getting better, I constantly have throbbing, itching and a yellow/watery residue around it. Just want to get rid of it already. Any help would be much appreciated, Thank you x