Preparing for a liver resection ... need your feedback

jasminsaba
jasminsaba Member Posts: 157 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi everyone - I am reaching out today in preparation for tomorrow's appointment with the oncology surgeon to discuss liver resection for mom. In the past two weeks, she has had a PET/CT, an MRI, and her blood work which all indicate great response to chemo after 6 cycles. Now, the time has come for a few weeks of chemo break followed by a liver resection to address two lesions (18 mm & ~ 8 mm) in the right lower lobe.

Her surgeon is chief of surgery at a local medical center and is board certified in both general and oncological surgery. He has performed many liver resections and comes highly recommended by mom's oncologist and colorectal surgeon. My question to those of you who have had this surgery is, what are some really important questions to address with the surgeon tomorrow?

Thanks so much for your time and feedback ... your storie and feedback have made the difference on this journey.

- Jasmine

Comments

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #2
    I am about to go in for my
    I am about to go in for my 3rd. liver resection.. Ask the surgeon if the gall bladder needs to be removed. It sounds like it judging by the location. Make sure they give her an epidural. It is more painful than colon curgery. Also there is adrug that came out a couple of years ago to counteract constipation accossiated with morphine for cancer patients. I Can't remember the name but I will be asking for it this time since the constipation is brutal.

    Make sure she is listening to the nurses when they ask her to start sitting up and walking regarless of the pain which I am sure she already knows from colon surgery.

    Jeff
  • jasminsaba
    jasminsaba Member Posts: 157 Member
    #3
    janderson1964 said:

    I am about to go in for my
    I am about to go in for my 3rd. liver resection.. Ask the surgeon if the gall bladder needs to be removed. It sounds like it judging by the location. Make sure they give her an epidural. It is more painful than colon curgery. Also there is adrug that came out a couple of years ago to counteract constipation accossiated with morphine for cancer patients. I Can't remember the name but I will be asking for it this time since the constipation is brutal.

    Make sure she is listening to the nurses when they ask her to start sitting up and walking regarless of the pain which I am sure she already knows from colon surgery.

    Jeff

    Thank you, Jeff ...
    for taking time to share your feedback. I'll be sure to ask her surgeon about the gall bladder though from what I understand, the gall bladder is a common casualty of liver resection - specially when it involves the right lobe.

    WOW - you're going in for your 3rd resection ... I wish you the very best and hope that this will be your last one. Praying for your complete healing.

    In the past (two priors), did they remove an entire lobe or just wedge resections to remove the mets? How many mets did you have each time?

    All the best, Jasmine.
  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #4
    jasminsaba said:

    Thank you, Jeff ...
    for taking time to share your feedback. I'll be sure to ask her surgeon about the gall bladder though from what I understand, the gall bladder is a common casualty of liver resection - specially when it involves the right lobe.

    WOW - you're going in for your 3rd resection ... I wish you the very best and hope that this will be your last one. Praying for your complete healing.

    In the past (two priors), did they remove an entire lobe or just wedge resections to remove the mets? How many mets did you have each time?

    All the best, Jasmine.

    They just removed a wedge
    They just removed a wedge section each time. One met all three times including this time.
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #5
    Jasmine
    I wish I knew of questions to ask (heck, I didn't even know about the gall bladder question), so I'm pretty much not going to be of any help on this one), I had my liver resection but was more concerned about my colon resection I'm guessing. I believe they took 36% of my liver, (never even asked where)I'm one of these people that when their cutting open I do not want to know. I had all my children via c-section and I still don't (and don't want to)know what they did.
    I just wanted to write and let you both know that I did have a great amount of fear before the surgery, I was down right scared (it was 3 surgeries, 3 different surgeons in one day, for 9 1/2 hours)and my fear was UNWARRANTED, everything went smoothly, pain was definitely there, but gone by the time I went home. You just make sure you ask for enough pain killers before the pain gets bad and then it's so much better.
    It was such a blessing to have the tumors cut out. I had my surgery during Christmas week and spent the holiday in the hospital. My BEST EVER Christmas present, getting that cancer cut out.
    I wish your mom the best, and if she expresses fear of the surgery, make sure you hold her hand, look her in the eyes and tell her it will be all right, there are many of us who have been through that same procedure and fear.
    Thinking of you both,
    Winter Marie
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #6
    Hi -
    It was actually my
    Hi -

    It was actually my Mother a young 72 years old had a liver section on July 12th 2011. Prior to that she had a colon section on Dec. 17th 2010 followed by 8 rounds of chemo. She handled the colon section very well along with the chemo. Her liver section surgery was about 5-6 hours and they removed 2 spots. She had a very difficult time with the pain management treatment because it was effecting her breathing. After sometime the Dr. were able to come up with meds that helped with her pain. My Mom was very confussed and out of sorts because of the meds, which they say is very common. However, had they told my family that prior to the surgery I would of been better prepared. She did have C-Diff about 3 weeks after surgery, which resulted in her having to go back into the hospital for one night.

    All in all, it was very hard to see my Mom like that, but honestly with the support from family and friends it helped us all. It's sometimes harder on the caregiver than the patient.

    Be sure . . . . .
    Nurses give pain meds when they are scheduled
    Your mom is walking sooner than later
    Always having someone with your Mom while in the hospital (in ICU and in hospital), it always good to have more eyes watching.

    My Mom will continue with 4 more sessions of chemo, My Mom's choice as she will beat this beast!

    All the best to you and your Mom.

    Liz
  • k1
    k1 Member Posts: 220 Member
    #7
    liver resection after effects
    This is not really about questions to ask but possible side effects some people, not all, might experience immediately after liver resection surgery.

    Expect back pain afterward. If they told me this beforehand I don't remember it, but it was written down on my discharge papers as a likely side effect. My back (on the rear side of my liver) hurt for at least a couple of weeks. I think this is because of the position they have to put you in on the operating table. Anyway, that pain was pretty bad at first I really could not turn over in bed because of it, which made the pain worse.

    Don't feak out if your incision leaks a yellow substance. It is bile. No one told me to expect that and I went to the emergency room, thinking I had an infection. Not everyone leaks bile, only a small percentage, I think, so it may not happen. But if it does, don't think your stitches are loose or you have necessarily developed an infection and your guts are going to fall out- just call your surgeon and report it.

    I really could not get up and down out of bed easily at home at first and was grateful to have a bedside toilet available for a week or so.

    As far as questions to ask, it is good to ask about the size of the scar to expect so you won't wake up in shock, whether the spots being removed are on one lobe of the liver or both, and how close they are to major blood vessels.

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