I'm concerned for your friend --

quote:

Gallstone spillage at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy occurs in approximately 5% of procedures. Stones left in the abdominal cavity were initially considered harmless, but recent reports have implicated spilled stones as a source of infrequent but serious complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In most cases the patient requires open operation for management of these complications. Two such complications are reported: a mechanical small bowel obstruction secondary to spilled stones that required prompt laparotomy, and a lateral port site abscess that became a draining sinus until complete evacuation of the stones was achieved.

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The most important thing to determine is - were all the stones retrieved?

If your friend is having severe abdominal pain then this could be a sign that stones are floating. Have they done an abdominal ultrasound since surgery? If not, I'd ask for one pronto. Hooking her up to a morphine drip only masks the symptoms of something more serious that may be going on.

quote:

In most instances, operation is required for the treatment of complications of spilled stones. We believe that stones left in the abdominal cavity are a potential danger, and every effort should be made to recover all stones that are spilled at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Open retrieval should be considered in selected cases if large stones or a large number of stones are lost.

I also worry WHY the surgeon didn't know there was infection pre-surgery. The first clue should have been an elevated white count. I remember they checked my panel the morning of my surgery. I also had an ultrasound to see the gallbladder. I'm not sure if that would have made a difference with your friend's surgery - but I question any surgeon who is suprised at what he finds going in (that he/she should have know pre-surgery).

I'll be thinking of your friend, and sending positive thoughts. Please start asking lots of questions on your friends behalf, and don't be afraid to ask for another surgeon to come in and look at the records (if you're not happy with the responses). But don't let them send her home without a scan and additional blood tests (to track infection). Sometimes you have to fight for quality care!

Hugs!

Melanie