I am asking for help too

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mukamom
mukamom Member Posts: 402
Last scan on Monday showed another lesion on Robert's liver...the surgeon is going to TRY and "burn" it out, however this may not be an option given the location. He will have to see once he gets in there. Surgery is scheduled for Wed morn. The surgeon wants him to take a prep on Tues, magnesium citrate, and when I questioned the staff member WHY do a prep for liver surgery, she hemmmed and hawed around, saying so everything is all cleaned out so they can see everything...ummmm how does cleaning out the bowel help to see what's going on in the liver?? Robert had a colonoscopy in March and they did find a cluster of polyps, which were removed and found to be benign. So what's the deal??? Anyone had do do a prep before surgery NOT involving the bowel??

I am afraid the docs are not telling us everything or it it might just be I am obsessing again.


Thx in advance
Angela

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  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
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    Strange?
    Hi Angela

    That's very strange indeed. No, I never did a bowel prep when I had my liver surgery. Just the standard nothing to eat - nothing to drink past midnight thing.

    This sounds like "cash register" talk to me. Why put somebody through that if that don't have to? A definite answer from the surgeon sure seems to be in order. I'd want to know the medical reason before going through that "just for grins."

    Sounds like RFA is the proposed plan if I understand your "burning" it out comment. That's a good procedure if the location is good to allow it. I was originally scheduled for a liver resection, but after they opened me, found I was not in good enough condition for that, so they switched over to RFA and burned a tumor the size of an orange out of me.

    The success rate for RFA vs Resections is equal to if not better, so that would be great if Robert qualifies.

    If he does not, then you can look into CyberKnife as another treatment option. It's called radio surgery, but delives high intense radiation over a shorter time as opposed to traditional radiation. Robert's liver would need the gold beads inplanted in his liver in and around the tumor, so they would know how to program the computer to attack the tumor.

    It's ususally given over 2 hours each session, and the sessions are between 2-5 total.

    This might be an option for you guys!

    -Craig
  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
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    Sundanceh said:

    Strange?
    Hi Angela

    That's very strange indeed. No, I never did a bowel prep when I had my liver surgery. Just the standard nothing to eat - nothing to drink past midnight thing.

    This sounds like "cash register" talk to me. Why put somebody through that if that don't have to? A definite answer from the surgeon sure seems to be in order. I'd want to know the medical reason before going through that "just for grins."

    Sounds like RFA is the proposed plan if I understand your "burning" it out comment. That's a good procedure if the location is good to allow it. I was originally scheduled for a liver resection, but after they opened me, found I was not in good enough condition for that, so they switched over to RFA and burned a tumor the size of an orange out of me.

    The success rate for RFA vs Resections is equal to if not better, so that would be great if Robert qualifies.

    If he does not, then you can look into CyberKnife as another treatment option. It's called radio surgery, but delives high intense radiation over a shorter time as opposed to traditional radiation. Robert's liver would need the gold beads inplanted in his liver in and around the tumor, so they would know how to program the computer to attack the tumor.

    It's ususally given over 2 hours each session, and the sessions are between 2-5 total.

    This might be an option for you guys!

    -Craig

    Thanks Craig
    Robert did have cyberknife back in Nov and had excellent results. This lesion is in a "better" place than the cyberknifed one, tho still not very good. Up against the diaphragm (sp) but away from the heart and lungs....possible they may have to resect.
    I called the surgeons office again and had them page the doc...he is in surgery everyday but Thurs. so we might or might not hear from him.

    Thanks again
    Angela
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
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    mukamom said:

    Thanks Craig
    Robert did have cyberknife back in Nov and had excellent results. This lesion is in a "better" place than the cyberknifed one, tho still not very good. Up against the diaphragm (sp) but away from the heart and lungs....possible they may have to resect.
    I called the surgeons office again and had them page the doc...he is in surgery everyday but Thurs. so we might or might not hear from him.

    Thanks again
    Angela

    I feel sorry for the news! but it has sense to me!
    i suppose as cleaner you are as better ,even for a minor operation , may be they want to take the advantage of surgery and take a look everywhere around , it's quite common ! .Well! hope the best to Robert ,will be praying for that! please keep us informed!.
    Hugs!
  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
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    Hi Angela, I just got back
    Hi Angela, I just got back from seeing my surgeon. I am having a lesion taken off the 24th of May/ i also have to do the citrate thing. He said where the lesion is is hard to get to. he wants as much room as possible. I may do the burn thing if he can't cut it out. Sorry, I never remember the technical terms.So its is not so unusual.
    Good Luck to you hubby.
    Judy