I haven’t written about my back for a while, and so it is very definitely time for an update. It is not the best of news I am afraid.
After my last operation, I developed another infection in my back. That is one infection per operation from the surgeon. Great job.
I have been taking antibiotics whilst keeping the infection covered by a dressing. I have had dressings on this part of my back since February now. This has resulted in me becoming sensitised to the dressings I was issued, and I am a mass of itches, scratches and allergies. I’m popping prescription antihistamines and find it very hard not to scratch myself until I bleed all the time.
I have been taking strong antibiotics since April but the infection has not really been getting significantly better. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that the electronics inside me are systemically infected with pathogens surviving in biofilms on the surface of the electrodes and/or the computer and battery pack. I am pretty annoyed about this. A persistent infection can only have been caused at the time the hardware was inserted, so the surgeon has caused this serious problem for me.
Consequently, the infections on my back will not clear up unless I have the electronics removed from my back. We need to get it established that this will all be covered by the ‘fixed price’ surgery we paid for, because there is no way we can afford to pay for it all again. Since the surgeon is responsible for me getting infected (twice) it would seem only reasonable that it should be, but I imagine there will be some debate about this.
If this can be agreed, and I am relying on The Editor to pursue the agreement because I might get a shade too angry, it would mean taking all the hardware out of my back, with the surgeon who has left me infected twice doing this surgery.
I would be stitched up, dressings would be on me for another two-to-three months, taking antibiotics so the infection should clear up (without the infected hardware perpetuating it). During this time, I will be in screaming pain. I am deeply unhappy about this.
Then I would have a new set of hardware put in, hopefully without the surgeon infecting me again, and I would be restored to my current pretty functional state.
More operations by a surgeon who has infected me twice and the prospect of months in pain do not really make me very happy. I will demand painkillers of heroism strength.
I will end this post with a short request. If any people with legal experience in the field of medicine read this, I would welcome views on what my legal position is, as far as not having to pay through the nose for something that is manifestly the surgeon’s fault. Thank you in advance for your time. Contact me at the usual address: david@elitistreview.com.
I assume you had a Medtronics InterStim or Axonics. There is less than a 2% risk of infection, higher in diabetics. It’s a recognized risk of the procedure. To reduce risk, bathing with Chlorhexidine preop is recommended as well as antibiotics before and after the procedure. After that, it’s luck. Becoming infected is not due to malpractice unless some breach in sterile protocol occurred during the procedure. I’ve done hundreds of these procedures and also had a rare infection requiring removal and subsequent replacement. Good luck.
I’ve got a Nevro HFX, I’m charging it now! I washed with Hibiscrub for five days everyday before the procedure. It seems it is the electrodes that have an infection, not the device itself, that, I understand, are a bit more of a bugger to remove. It’s been so effective…
“Lead only” infection is pretty rare. I’d remove the entire device . . .
Yes, he’ll take the lot out.
I am not so worried about the surgery, more the months of indescribable pain afterward. I know I’ve done it before, but I certainly did not enjoy it!
Thanks, Alan!
Oh—forgot one thing—yes, it needs removal. One can never clear the infection with this foreign body. I’ve removed many under local anesthesia in the office—he should try that and it would cost very little. And, no, it’s not covered by the original surgery fee.
With regard to your first comment: Yes, so I’ve discovered. With regard to your last comment: Bugger.
Thanks, Alan!
Even though I’m a happy sort of chap, I’m so unhappy about all of this. So very, very unhappy.