Scan Results

Again Dr Choi exceeds expectations. He called us a day early, at 6:30pm on a weekday, and spoke with us personally, to give us Kevin's scan results.

Kevin has a bowel leak. We do not know yet exactly from where in his bowel. It could be from the surgery site or it could be from somewhere else. The medical history dictation from that surgery reads "...although the entire small bowel could not be evaluated because of dense adhesions from the inflammatory process. It was felt that this may cause more damage than looking for another abnormality." So Kevin's current drain will remain although Dr Choi mentioned backing it out a bit because it is in too far. Again, if the fluid doesn't stop it will require surgery.

Kevin has another pocket of fluid near his right kidney in a "hard to reach and difficult" place. This will require another drain. Dr Choi feels this will be place about two weeks. He mentioned consulting with his colleagues about this one. This is an infected abscess so Kevin will continue on antibiotics although Dr Choi will want to do them orally. So now I think we will cease and desist with our infectious disease guy here, too. And again, if this drain doesn't stop - don't know if this is an active leak or not - it will require surgery. In a hard to reach and difficult place.

I am compelled to point out the obvious on this one: that if Kevin's current drainage stopped, the tube removed and all deemed well, this pocket would never have been discovered - until he keeled over dead one day. Or something.

The scan definitely did what it was supposed to do. We are thankful for that. It's not really good news but somewhat expected. All I see is months more of the same + more travel.