Complications after laparascopic partial nephrectomy - any words of wisdom?

Talmidah

Hi everyone

It has been sometime since I have signed on and I hope everyone is doing well, or is on their way to doing better.  My surgery was on June 25, went very well, and the path report showed a T1a RCC with clean margins.  Easy-peasy, right?   I was out and about soon after but almost immediately after having my staples removed (very painful), I have had one complication after another.  Started with two massive ear infections, probably from being intubated.  My blood pressure has been completely uncontrolled, even on twice the dosage I was on before the surgery, then I had a gout attack for the first time in 15 years that laid me out for two weeks.  Now 8 weeks post-op and feeling crappy every single day, I went to go see my referring urologist (not the surgeon) who said that the blood pressure issue, gout, and general malaise are not to be expected accept for two possible complications.  One is an A-V fistula that may have developed between the renal vein and artery and the other is a blocked/damaged artery.  My 6 week post-op CT had NED, but he thinks an angiogram is needed to see how the kidney's vasculature is working.  It will require a lot of dye, which is a problem since I have chronic kidney disease but the interventional radiologist could correct the problem once identified.    Question to my sage colleagues on the discussion board - has anyone experienced these issues after a partial with DaVinci?  What happened and how did you address the problem? Thanks.

 

Linda