WTF? I still have my lap-band port!

[Larra]

It's possible insurance might pay for the removal - no harm in checking on that. And regardless of what the operative report says, a simple x-ray would show whether there's a port there or not. Though I still think you should get the operative report, both for legal purposes and for your own peace of mind.

Also, get the operative report from the abdominoplasty. Hopefully the plastic surgeon commented about how he couldn't do all he wanted to do because that port was in his way.

 

[Felicity]

Well, it took long enough, but I finally received my medical records. It's definitely CLEARLY STATED in the operative report that the band and port were both removed and sent to Pathology. Now that I have this, I am not sure what I should do next... get a statement or post-op report from my plastic surgeon that says "Hey, I was in your abdomen and there's a lap-band port there"?
I've never been involved in a legal case before, so I am not even sure if it's worth pursuing.

 

[Larra]

If they were removed and sent to pathology, there will also be a pathology report that will document that they received them. See if you can get your hands on that. It will settle the question completely.
And, if they really were removed (and I really can't imagine your surgeon falsifying something so easy to verify), I would guess that the plastic surgeon ran into some nasty scar tissue from the port having been in your abdominal wall (not in the abdomen!) that was so hard he thought it was the port.
And if you can't get the path report, a simple x-ray of your abdomen would show the port if it's still there. But the path report is part of your medical records, just like all the other reports, so you should be able to get it.

 

[Felicity]

If they were removed and sent to pathology, there will also be a pathology report that will document that they received them. See if you can get your hands on that. It will settle the question completely.
And, if they really were removed (and I really can't imagine your surgeon falsifying something so easy to verify), I would guess that the plastic surgeon ran into some nasty scar tissue from the port having been in your abdominal wall (not in the abdomen!) that was so hard he thought it was the port.
And if you can't get the path report, a simple x-ray of your abdomen would show the port if it's still there. But the path report is part of your medical records, just like all the other reports, so you should be able to get it.

Out of curiousity, do you think a barium swallow x-ray would show it? That is the only chest x-ray I have had, and it was done post-revision. Would be nice if I can spare a medical trip.

 

[Larra]

A chest x-ray wouldn't show the port, but assuming the study included your stomach, the tubing MIGHT be seen near your stomach. if the entire abdomen is seen on any of the study, your port would be seen. One would hope the radiologist would comment on seeing it, but since that isn't what they were looking for, you can't be 100% sure.
Do you need to make a trip to get the path report? can't the hospital send you a release to sign, either via email or snail mail? the path report would be definitive.

 

[Felicity]

Sorry, I meant that I was trying to save a trip to get an X-ray done. I just received my operative report from the plastic surgeon and it does include that they "encountered a Lap-Band reservoir on the left side just at the junction below the infracostal margin".
I went through the medical records from the revision surgeon and there is no pathology report. I will contact them again and ask for that specifically. Thanks for the help!

 

[Larra]

Please let us know when you get the report. I'm fascinated to know which surgeon got it wrong. I'm hopeful that everything was removed.

 

[JackieOnLine]

same here, hope it's out and you are OK. geez!!

 

[bearmom]

Sorry, I meant that I was trying to save a trip to get an X-ray done. I just received my operative report from the plastic surgeon and it does include that they "encountered a Lap-Band reservoir on the left side just at the junction below the infracostal margin".
I went through the medical records from the revision surgeon and there is no pathology report. I will contact them again and ask for that specifically. Thanks for the help!

I'm also following and waiting to see what you find out. It's unlikely the xray you had will show the area you need, but you can check. You will almost certainly need a new image. I learned the hard way when I was having multiple images needed for spine issues, intermittent intestinal blockages, and kidney stones, that even though things are in the same area, they are not close ENOUGH, and different types of imaging show some things better, or not at all. Wishing you luck.