Xpost - Ever have an ulcer cauterized?

One of my co-worker's husband had RNY done on 12/27 and was having some pain where ulcer pain is usually located at and some dark blood in his stool. He went today to be scoped and his doctor cauterized the ulcer. Needless to say we just received word that he was having some complications and is now in ICU.

I've left her a message to call if she needs to talk, wants to bounce something off of me, just any general question that maybe I can help her ask his doctor.

I've just never heard of cauterizing an ulcer this quickly and not giving him Carafate and Protonix first to treat the ulcer. If he didn't have fresh blood in his stool and dark (old blood) why cauterize it? Ugh, I'm concerned it appears the local doctors have a higher degree of complications than I'm use to seeing with surgeons I knew in the Houston area (where I had mine). They don't do as many here as a larger metropolitan areas.

When the blood is dark it doesn't mean it is old it means it has been digested.  

Bright red blood means rectal bleeding.

The ulcer must have been high enough for the intestines to digest it.  The fact the stools were black means the pt was actively bleeding so they had to stop it with cautery.  Most ulcers don't bleed at first.  They cause lots of pain when you eat etc.

Think of a canker sore- that's an ulcer.  Carafate can help an ulcer but carafate can't stop the bleeding.

I hope your friend gets better soon.

Pup

My surgeon is one of the country's leading researchers and he has stated that RNY actually has a higher probability of ulcer problems than the sleeve or DS.  I was one of the patients who had major issues with ulcers, to the point that my stomach perforated and I ended up in emergency surgery to rebuild what was left.  I then fought with prilosec and carafate for a year and a half until realizing those meds on high dose, long term use were causing calcifications in my kidneys and bladder.  Hence, the reason I had to have a revision to a sleeve (slightly smaller due to the earlier perforation).

Best wishes to him and I say cauterize if possible and then monitor.  If it becomes an ongoing issue, he may need to consider a revision.

Thanks Jessica. He seems to be doing well. They have him on a acid reducer now and no problems so far.