Question:
Pancreatious or Leakage?

My friend just had WLS RNY she had a revision, 4 years ago she had VGB. She got out of surgery a few days ago. The surgeon said there was a leak and that he fixed it. The next morning he tested to see if there was a leak again. There was no leak. Well after she go back from the testing she was able to drink water. After drinking water she started throwing up old blood from her intestines. Well the doc said that was normal sometimes. Well she has been throwing up for 36 hours post op on anything she drinks. The has high blood pressure (first time) and high white blood cell count, no fever, intense pain on the right side of belly. The doc says its pacreatitous or a leakage. He is going to open her up again and she what is going on. Has this happen to anyone else? He said a person can get pancreatitous from surgery has this happen to anyone. Please email me at [email protected]    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on February 26, 2005)


February 26, 2005
Pancreatitis is most commonly caused by gallstones lodged in pancreatic ducts or by alcohol abuse. Pancreatitis can also be caused by certain medications (acetaminophen, sulfonamides, or thiazide and furosemide diuretics, for instance); by a severe injury to the abdomen, such as a blow or surgery; by viral infections like mumps or hepatitis; or by genetic abnormalities in pancreatic ducts. Pancreatitis may also signal the need for surgery, i.e. gallbladder surgery.
   — SnowWhiteDove459

February 26, 2005
Pancreatitis like the other poster said is caused from gall stones being lodged (probably for an extended period of time) in the bile ducts. I had it from letting a gall bladder problem go too long (1 & 1/2 years!!). It is a very serious condition and your friend needs to let the doctor go back in and have a look see. I am a walking example of a doctor doing that, I ended up in the hospital for 117 days with pancreatitis and other serious complications with a 6 week ICU stay. I almost died because I did not go to a doctor for the gall bladder. I am not saying that your friend let anything go, just saying that she needs to let the doctor do what he needs to do with going back in. I have only 1/4 of my pancreas because it liquified with the infection, but you can live with only that little pancreas without being on insulin. This all happened to me in 1991. ps, the throwing up of the old blood is common, that does not mean that she has a leak. A person can develope pancreatitis at any point of their life and yes it can be caused from her surgery.
   — ChristineB

February 26, 2005
pancreatis can happen to anyone at anytime . It is an inflammation of the pancreas. i was hospitalized thirty years ago for it and have had it several times since not connected with my gallbladder or wls. A man in my church nearly died from it a few years ago. Was in the hospital for over a month and was on home antibotics for four months afterward. It can be very serious. I am a registered nurse and I have never seen it happen because of stones lodged in the bile duct. That is not to say it won't . I just have never seen it. Just wanted to FYI, that even those people who have healthy gallbladders or No gallbladders can still get pancreatis,. it is caused from a variety of reasons. i hope your friend gets this taken care of. seems like the doctor is dropping the ball on this one.
   — Delores S.

February 26, 2005
To further clarify, straight out of the medical dictionary : Pancreatitis id due to autodigestion of pancreatic tissue by it's own enzynes. ACUTE pancreatitis can arise from a variety of etiologic factors but in most cases is unknown. In some casaes chronic alcolholism or toxicity from other agents such as glucocorticoids,thiazide diuretics or actaminophen, can bring on an attack of pancreatitis. In about half the cases, a mechanical obstruction of the bilary tract is present, usually because of gallstones in the bile ducts. Viral infections can also cause an acute inflammation of the pancreas. the patient with acute pancreatitis typically complains of epigastric pain that is accompanied by fever, maliase, nausea and vomiting. Mild cases can be overlooked or misdiagnosed. There is no specific lab test for acute pancreatitis. Hope this helps.
   — Delores S.

February 27, 2005
Another survivor of acute pancreatitis (necrotizing) here, so I am sensitive about it.<br> Mine had absolutely NOTHING to do with gallstones, or further more, alcohol abuse. That is ONE cause of it for SOME people. I had WLS after I recovered from the acute pancreatitis. If I wouldn't have had WLS I would probably be dead from another attack.<br> Mine was caused by insanely high triglycerides (6,682) and undiagnosed diabetes (BG=300) when I was diagnosed, not gallstones or alcohol abuse. I spent 4 months in the hospital, and had 12 surgeries because of it. It is a disease that has many different causes, as some have cited.<br> I did not have to be "opened up" for it to be diagnosed. CT scans and labs confirmed everything, which is the common method, I am told. When I got sick, I had excutiating pain in the center of my abdomen that went through to my back. Lying down flat was impossiblew, and constant vomitting (then retching). I passed out in the TEC before they even got to me.<br> Your friend should take talk of this disease very seriously.
   — kultgirl

February 27, 2005
Wow! I will certainly pray for your friend. I hope they get everything worked out for her.
   — Carey N.

February 27, 2005
I ended up in the hospital a week after WLS with pancreatitis. I was told it was directly caused by the surgery. The pancreas was near where they resected the intestine and was inflammed. The gall bladder was also inflammed and had to be removed a week after that.
   — GailV

March 4, 2005
I'm sure I'm too late responding, but during my surgery my pancreas was "nicked" by the surgeon. It began to bleed and they ended up putting some mesh gauze on it. He never told me, but my records show it. I had severe uncontrolled pain after surgery for several days. I now know it was probably the pancreatitis. My enzymes were not checked in the hospital, but when I went to the ER 11 days later, they showed they were elevated. That is the first thing that should be done. If the enzymes are elevated..then NOTHING by mouth, not even chewing gum. It is very painful and should be addressed immediately. I don't understand why they want to do surgery again. They need to do a CT scan or MRI and lab work. Good luck and let us know how your friend does..
   — debi327




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