Leaking Tummy

[b]

Hi - this is my first post. My husband is getting ready for PD Training the first week of July. His surgery was May 10th and he had a leak so they waited until today to try again.

Whenever they fill his cavity some of the fluid leaks and goes into his scrotum which is very painful for him. They said they will call the doctor and find a place that can fill him and then do an ultrasound to see WHERE it is leaking.

Has anyone had this problem? Anyone know how they will fix it? Will it require another surgery under general anesthesia? Is this common? What might have caused it? could it be a track mark from a disolved stitch?

Also, can anyone tell us basically what the training involves? We’ve been told 9-2 for 2 weeks. I am assuming they will have him do the exchange himself? They did say he will be off HD and on PD the 2nd day of training?!? Unfortunately they don’t tell alot ahead of time so we have lots of questions. Can you tell? :lol: Any information willk be greatly appreciated.[/b]

THANKS !

Hi Turnip45, and welcome to Home Dialysis Central. :smiley:

Whenever they fill his cavity some of the fluid leaks and goes into his scrotum which is very painful for him.

That sounds painful! I’m not a doctor, but to me, this sounds like an inguinal hernia. You can learn about hernias of this type on a U.S. government website: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/inguinalhernia/. If this is the problem, he would need surgery to fix it, and this can be very successful, especially if surgical mesh is used to reinforce the muscle in that area.

Also, can anyone tell us basically what the training involves? We’ve been told 9-2 for 2 weeks. I am assuming they will have him do the exchange himself?

I’m really glad to hear that his training will go on for 2 weeks–we’ve heard some unwelcome trends about PD training that lasts only 3 days or so, which is not long enough to learn some of the important skills. You’re right that he will learn how to do his PD exchanges. He’ll also learn how to:
– Wash his hands properly and put on a surgical mask
– Set up a room to reduce his risk of infection
– Weigh himself before and after an exchange and keep logs
– Gather his supplies and use aseptic technique
– Give himself necessary medications
– Watch for signs of problems and report them right away
– Assess if he is removing enough fluid
– Limit his intake of potassium, sodium, and phosporus (but not as much as on hemo)

This sounds like a lot to learn, and it is at first, but folks who’ve done PD for many years say that it becomes routine–like brushing your teeth. His PD training nurse will be able to answer questions. Most programs will let you go along, too, so you can help him if there is ever a time when he can’t do his exchanges himself (e.g., a bad flu).

Good luck!

Thank you so much for the good information.

He did not have a hernia prior to surgery - could the surgery have caused one? He’s been extremely careful about the lifting and straining. Just :roll: curious. Guess I tend to worry a little much.

I’m not sure it’s possible to say whether your husband had a “hidden” hernia that was never a problem because no-one ever filled his abdomen with fluid before, or whether it was caused by the surgery. The likelihood is, it was already there, and he’s just found it now because of the PD.