Disgusted and uncertain about what to do.......

[suboo73]

Melissa,  Yes, i would be HOPPING MAD too, want answers, want to SCREAM at the doc! 
I agree with LA David - after the shock, being mad, etc, etc., etc., what do you think you want out of this?

My sister (at age 40) had a voluntary hip replacement surgery.  The implant piece was manufactured wrong - and the docs and manufacturing company were starting to hear complaints in late summer of that year.  My sister had surgery in SEPTEMBER!  No one warned her or many others.  Since then, TWO, count them TWO more surgeries on that hip.  She is better now, but all that trauma surely has not helped her general health.  --  A class action suit was filed, and awards were given out.  But, i am guessing some older folks didn't live as long after more than one hip surgery.  - And how does ANY amount of money replace your health?

A year later, my daughter had a bad car wreck, and we developed a saying in my house:  'What will this matter in 5 years?'  We took the things that didn't matter in 5 years, and let them go.... 

If you think this matters to you, go for it, get the lawyer.
Good luck with this difficult decision.

I am HOPPING MAD for you, too!

Sue

[GRACE1]

Sue,

What is the name of the hip implant your sister had?  My husband has had nothing but trouble - and PAIN - with his first hip replacement done in 2003.

Thanks!
Grace

[wendysig]

Hi Melissa,

I've been out of the loop for a while and was shocked about your discovery.  I hope this ends your problems with siinus infections -- I know you've been through he** with them the last few months.  Definitely keep your gauze or whatever it is  (are you keeping it in the freezer -- I would so it doesn't decay further) and demand an explanation.

Wendy

[Sam Rush]

I would like to humbly suggest that you are all overreacting to the gauze in the external ear canal. This was put in there to keep betadine, blood, and fluid out of the ear during the surgical procedure. It should have been removed, but had nothing to do with the surgery or her current symptoms. There are many causes for recurrent and persistant sinus infections, and gauze in the external ear canal is not one of them.

Hope you feel better soon.

Sam

[Melissa778]

Well I have spoken to an attorney, just for some advice at this point.  Not really sure how far I want to take this and if all the hassle is really what I need to be dealing with on top of everything else.  I'm trying to work through my anger and frustration more at this point than anything.  And the attorney thinks that if this has not caused me life long "impairment" that I really dont' have much in the way of a malpractice suit, I may get another opinion though...just to see.  Again, I'm not sure how far I will even take that though.

One thing I want to stress is I really genuinley LIKE my doc.  He was wonderful and my facial outcome and recovery were overall a breeze until I got the infection.  So I'm not sure I really want to "go after" him that way.  I'm thankful for all the good he has done for me, and I'm trying to chalk it up to a risk we take when we have surgery of any kind.  Maybe I'm crazy.....but I guess that's where I am at with it all right now.

I do meet with my ENT this afternoon to discuss my upcoming sinus surgery, which will now delay my BAHA implant surgery...which I am worried about having done at the same facility I had my translab done......just thoughts of what will they screw up/leave behind this time?  I know that's not fair, but I'm being honest.   I'm frustrated that I have to put my BAHA on hold, that I have to take extra time out of work for sinus surrgery.  time that I was reserving for summer events/vacations with my kids.


I can crawl under a rock and cry it out or I can dust myself off and move on and worry ultimately just about my health and getting better....and that's what I'm trying to do....(with a little help from xanax )

I thank you all so much for your input and support, you are all wonderful!!  When I pulled that yuckiness from my ear, ONE of my inital thoughts was....I have to get on the forum and see if anyone else has had this happen!

Will keep you all posted on what comes of today's appointment.

Melissa

[Melissa778]

THanks Sam, I had also wondered if it may have been something that was stuck there for some sort of purpose.  However, it doesn't change the fact that it was left there and should not have been. 

As I said above, I intend to take no leagal action as who knows what the outcome would be and at this juncture it just isn't worth the hassle to me and I may not have enough to go on, nor would I want to.

I don't feel there is any overreaction necessarily.  Who would ever expect or be prepared to pull something from one's ear a year later?  I think it's more shock, curiosity, and frustration fueled.

I still do wonder if something left in there for an almost a year could not harbor infection and bacteria.  I suppose I wait to see what the doc has to say.

Melissa

[Debbi]

Melissa-

I really wouldn't be at all surprised if the tissue at least contributed to the ongoing infections.  If you take a damp piece of cloth and stick it in a warm, damp place (like an ear canal, for example), it's quite likely to collect and grow all sorts of bacteria. 

As for lawsuits, that's a very personal decision and one that should only be entered into if you are willing to stay in there for a long battle.  Only you can determine if it is worth it to you personally.  You'll do what is right for you.

Meanwhile, focus on feeling better - you're the most part of this equation.  You know I'm rooting for you!

Deb

[lori67]

I'm sure it wasn't left in there on purpose - mistakes happen.  I don't think it necessarily means legal action needs to be taken, but it needs to be brought to the attention of the medical professionals who made the mistake in the first place.  I may not change your situation - but I'm sure if they are aware of the mistake, they'll be much more careful in the future.  You never know when you're going to tick off the wrong person who will sue you and win.

I think I would be more curious and angry that no one noticed it for a year than the fact that it was left in there at all.  I've looked in ears before, and I like to think that you'd notice something like that in there.

Whatever the cause of your sinus things, I hope you get some relief soon.  No one should have to deal with that for so long.

Lori

[Kaybo]

I agree - mistakes happen and Like Sam said, it could have been there for a purpose.  I think that the thing that bothers me most is that NO ONE in 6 MONTHS has even LOOKED in that ear??   Especially knowing all the problems that there have been.  I am NOT a "suer" and definitely cut a LOT of slack, but that just doesn't sit well with me...  Let's just hope things get better now!!

K

[leapyrtwins]

Sam -

thank you for your comments; nice to get a doctor's perspective on all of this.

As Kay said, the fact that no one has looked into Melissa's ear in 6 months (given all the issues she has been going through) is more shocking than the fact that a mistake was made (leaving gauze in her ear).  Everyone makes mistakes.

IMO, and it's only my opinion, a lawsuit isn't a good option - but communicating the issue to the doc who did the surgery is something Melissa should do.  I'd imagine a doctor would want a patient to tell him when something like this happens.  If nothing else, it might prevent this mistake from happening to another patient.
 
Jan

[Jim Scott]

Melissa ~

Dr. Sam helpfully explained why the gauze was in your ear and it's obvious that it being left there was an error.  Although Sam is skeptical about the left-behind gauze having anything to do with your multiple sinus infections, it seems possible (if not probable) but then, we're not physicians and may be all wrong about that.  Try to get an answer from one of your ENT physicians.  I think the folks posting on this thread are almost as curious as you are for that answer.     

It seems as if the attorney you consulted correctly discouraged you from pursuing litigation.  It probably isn't worth the time and money necessary.  Besides, if you really like your doctor, I can understand your reluctance to drag him into court.  I would feel the same way in your situation.  This was more likely an error by the scrub nurse or whomever was responsible for accounting for everything used in the surgery.  I think this is one of those times where you just have to let it go.  People make mistakes.  It's just life. 

Jim

[lori67]

 This was more likely an error by the scrub nurse
Jim

Jim,

Nurses don't make mistakes.     Let's get that right next time, okay?   

Lori

[Melissa778]

You are all so wonderful and supportive!!

I am not the "type" of person that would have ever consulted an attorney, I just wanted some leagal "advice".  I do not, nor did I ever, have intentions of taking this into court.  And I feel good about that decision.  My feelings towards my doctor have not changed.....I truly feel he is a wonderful doctor and these are risks we take when having surgery.

Ok, so I met with the ENT yesterday.....I showed him my little baggie of yuckiness.....and he of course said most definetley this is from surgery....however he is uncertain as to whether or not this could have contributed to my infection.

As Sam explained, and I'm about to try to explain a bit further......becasue it was "found" in my ear canal and my ear drum is intact the "gauze like" substance would not be in the vicinity of my sinus' contributing to the problem.  Had my ear drum been perforated he would have assumed it most definetly contributed to the infection.  THe small loop hole he see's in all of this is that it was never discovered before now,.....and to correct others, I have had my ear "looked" in over the last year, but just briefly...quickly, about 45 days ago maybe?, my ear drum does have scarring which indicates that at some point it was perforated.....so did the perforation happen during surgery?  did my ear drum rupture at some point during all of this infection and I was unaware of it???  My ear is still numb in spots and I at times can not feel there little instrument when it is in my ear, so coudl my ear have been infected and ruptured without my knowledge.....probably.  Lots of unanswered stuff still.  But overall he seems to think it did not contribute to the infection.....mainly because the "chunk of yuck" smells, according to the doc, like antiseptic......it does not smell like infection....or anything necessarily "nasty".  So my question to him was how could something like this sit in my ear canal for a year unnoticed?  he of course had no answer for that one   I feel alot better about all of it and have an appt with my surgeon on Monday to discuss further.....at this point my main concern is clearing the infection and also, somehow, making sure there are no more "chunks of yuck" in my head!!

As far as my sinus infection goes.....after 6 rounds of antibiotics, many steroids and sprays.....the infection has only worsened.......so surgery is on the horizon   I meet this afternoon with the actual surgeon to discuss options and set everything up.  I'm not happy about it, who would be....but at least it will be cleared up and I hope to feel worlds better when it's all said and done

Thanks again to all of you for your concern and support! 

Melissa

[CHD63]

Melissa .....

So glad you have an ENT who has apparently explained what must have happened without putting "blame" on others.  I'm a little confused as to which surgeon will be doing any further sinus surgery.  It always worries me a little bit when multiple doctors are involved in one illness/condition (your sinus infection this time).  I certainly hope all of them have been conferring with previous docs ..... especially the surgeon who did your translab.

I am also glad you have decided not to pursue the litigation route.  I would (as I think you already have) make sure all of the doctors you have seen since your surgery are aware of what has happened.  Hopefully, a few staff people will have more awareness to be super careful during and following surgery after this.

Clarice

[Kaybo]

Melissa~
Glad you have a Dr. who took the time to explain things to you - I hope that you get to the bottom of this - and soon!!   I am sorry that you are going to have to have surgery again but let's hope that it is a relatively "easy" one and it clears your problems up ASAP so that you can get on with living and put this ALL behind you!!

We are here for you!  I know you will keep us updated!

K