Post op leak tests

[clar01]

Hi

After reading horrir stories about post op leaks I wanted to go to my consultants appt with lots of questions.

Can someone tell me what the leak tests are after surgery? I read on an American forum that some go for anther leak test 3 months down the line?

It's making me very nervous, but I am currently of the view that if I am aware of the symptoms of a leak and get myself to a&e ASAP if I experience the symptoms that hopefully they can sort it.

Any knowledge on the leak tests?

Xxxx

 

[Wonderlust]

Had a leak test three days, iirc, after surgery.

Involved standing in a machine whilst drinking an orange drink that had some sort of marker in it

 

[Sharonimo]

My surgeon does the leak test whilst still anaesthetised -- while you are still zonked out on the operating table they pour blue dye down your throat, and then use their laproscopic cameras to watch it make its way down your digestive tract.

When I woke up I had bluey/green streaks in my hair, over my face and up my nostrils (nice!) and was peeing green pee for 24 hours!

I have not been told about any further leak tests 3 months down the line or anything -- am assuming they would only do that if they suspected a leak.

 

[clar01]

Thanks guys.

Wonderlust, we're you with Mr Patel?

 

[Paula Garner]

My surgeon does the leak test whilst still anaesthetised -- while you are still zonked out on the operating table they pour blue dye down your throat, and then use their laproscopic cameras to watch it make its way down your digestive tract.

When I woke up I had bluey/green streaks in my hair, over my face and up my nostrils (nice!) and was peeing green pee for 24 hours!

I have not been told about any further leak tests 3 months down the line or anything -- am assuming they would only do that if they suspected a leak.

I know I shouldn't laugh Sharonimo, but that did make me chuckle. I bet you were thinking what the hell ? When you woke up

 

[Wonderlust]

Thanks guys.

Wonderlust, we're you with Mr Patel?

Yes but outsourced to the Princess Grace Hospital not Kings.

 

[Sharonimo]

I know I shouldn't laugh Sharonimo, but that did make me chuckle. I bet you were thinking what the hell ? When you woke up

What I was thinking was more like, "Why did they tell me they would be careful and try not to get it everywhere, and then they sodding did !!!"

In fact the punky green hair streaks still have not totally come out. I have washed several times, and last weekend I even resorted to a bottle of Nice 'n' Easy No.103 blonde hairdye to try and dye over it before I returned to work, but even that has only toned it down a bit and not totally removed it (gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!).

 

[scooter81]

Before I was discharged from hospital I had a gastrograph and swallow test. You drink the aniseedy stuff, and they scan you and it takes photos of the fluid moving through your body. My Swallow test taken 2 days after surgery showed no leaks and I was promptly discharged.

Everyone is mentioning blue dye when in theatre, but as far as I am aware I did not have this test. I didnt have smurf lips

Update.. my leak is slowing down I find out next week if I have to go back to theatre to get the hole which is 15mm wide restapled/oversewn or glued shut.

 

[Tessy]

I wish you all the best of luck.

 

[suzie290304]

I had one when I was under in my op. The surgeon did ask if I had been weeing blue, which I told him no and he was quite surprised. He said my body must have digested it, I thought it was funny cause i even digests this dye that meant to be expelled I had no chance with food lol x