Anyone Had a Laparotomy?
Discussion
I had to look the word up.
Laparotomy: surgical procedure involving a large incision in the abdomen to access internal organs. Mine was an extraction point (to remove a section of my bowel) and whilst the surgery was performed laparoscopically, the cut (running vertically through my navel) was made to remove the affected area. The decision to do it in this was because I already had an abdominal hernia and the surgeon did me a favour. Call it a two for one deal.
The surgery was performed about three months ago. My recovery has gone well and it almost feels like 'it' never happened. There has been some slight itchiness around the wound but no other issues. I'm working as normal and don't feel any tenderness in and around the cut area. However, for about a week now, I've felt something, like a twinge of discomfort when pulling myself up from a relaxed/seated position. It reminds me of how it felt when the wound was clipped (post surgery).
Am I about to pop open like a packet of crisps?
Joking aside, how long does a laparotomy take to heal fully?
Laparotomy: surgical procedure involving a large incision in the abdomen to access internal organs. Mine was an extraction point (to remove a section of my bowel) and whilst the surgery was performed laparoscopically, the cut (running vertically through my navel) was made to remove the affected area. The decision to do it in this was because I already had an abdominal hernia and the surgeon did me a favour. Call it a two for one deal.
The surgery was performed about three months ago. My recovery has gone well and it almost feels like 'it' never happened. There has been some slight itchiness around the wound but no other issues. I'm working as normal and don't feel any tenderness in and around the cut area. However, for about a week now, I've felt something, like a twinge of discomfort when pulling myself up from a relaxed/seated position. It reminds me of how it felt when the wound was clipped (post surgery).
Am I about to pop open like a packet of crisps?
Joking aside, how long does a laparotomy take to heal fully?
As I understand it, a vertical cut through your abdominal muscles is easier on recovery than a horizontal cut.
I needed an operation in July where I had a big old horizontal cut. ~250mm wide, basically following the contour shape of my bottom ribs, right under my ribs too, seperating my stomach muscles from my ribcage, shifting my stomach and liver out the way and rummage around and clear space to perform the operation. It then got infected and they needed to partially open me back up to remove that (and leave open to drain & heal by itself)
3 months on I'm still struggling with recovery. I get out of breath walking up stairs or going for a decent walk. Deep breaths are a bit of a chore. When going up or down stairs with any gusto I feel the need to hold/support the scar area. I cant fold my arms as their natural rasting position is right on my scar.
I have the seasonal flu/covid thing at the moment which deffinately isnt helping. Coughing/sneezing/blowing nose all hurts my rib/diaphragm/scar area.
The surgeon told me that it would be gone Christmas before my stomach muscles were knitted properly back together.
I needed an operation in July where I had a big old horizontal cut. ~250mm wide, basically following the contour shape of my bottom ribs, right under my ribs too, seperating my stomach muscles from my ribcage, shifting my stomach and liver out the way and rummage around and clear space to perform the operation. It then got infected and they needed to partially open me back up to remove that (and leave open to drain & heal by itself)
3 months on I'm still struggling with recovery. I get out of breath walking up stairs or going for a decent walk. Deep breaths are a bit of a chore. When going up or down stairs with any gusto I feel the need to hold/support the scar area. I cant fold my arms as their natural rasting position is right on my scar.
I have the seasonal flu/covid thing at the moment which deffinately isnt helping. Coughing/sneezing/blowing nose all hurts my rib/diaphragm/scar area.
The surgeon told me that it would be gone Christmas before my stomach muscles were knitted properly back together.
Ambleton said:
As I understand it, a vertical cut through your abdominal muscles is easier on recovery than a horizontal cut.
I needed an operation in July where I had a big old horizontal cut. ~250mm wide, basically following the contour shape of my bottom ribs, right under my ribs too, seperating my stomach muscles from my ribcage, shifting my stomach and liver out the way and rummage around and clear space to perform the operation. It then got infected and they needed to partially open me back up to remove that (and leave open to drain & heal by itself)
3 months on I'm still struggling with recovery. I get out of breath walking up stairs or going for a decent walk. Deep breaths are a bit of a chore. When going up or down stairs with any gusto I feel the need to hold/support the scar area. I cant fold my arms as their natural rasting position is right on my scar.
I have the seasonal flu/covid thing at the moment which deffinately isnt helping. Coughing/sneezing/blowing nose all hurts my rib/diaphragm/scar area.
The surgeon told me that it would be gone Christmas before my stomach muscles were knitted properly back together.
Ouchies. Wishing you a speedy recovery. I needed an operation in July where I had a big old horizontal cut. ~250mm wide, basically following the contour shape of my bottom ribs, right under my ribs too, seperating my stomach muscles from my ribcage, shifting my stomach and liver out the way and rummage around and clear space to perform the operation. It then got infected and they needed to partially open me back up to remove that (and leave open to drain & heal by itself)
3 months on I'm still struggling with recovery. I get out of breath walking up stairs or going for a decent walk. Deep breaths are a bit of a chore. When going up or down stairs with any gusto I feel the need to hold/support the scar area. I cant fold my arms as their natural rasting position is right on my scar.
I have the seasonal flu/covid thing at the moment which deffinately isnt helping. Coughing/sneezing/blowing nose all hurts my rib/diaphragm/scar area.
The surgeon told me that it would be gone Christmas before my stomach muscles were knitted properly back together.
I’ve had a couple, a stage laparotomy when I had Hodgkins, spleen removed and all the intestines pulled out and felt for any cancerous lumps, this was back in the mid 80’s before CT’s were able to image smaller lumps. The incision was off centre and only about seven inches long.
No real issues with this one, but they tried using a single nylon stitch for the whole wound, the idea being you cut off the end and pull the one stitch out.
That didn’t work, took a few hours of yanking to get it out which opened the wound, which got infected,
This led to serious eruptions when it burst, hitting the ceiling with puss.
Then another 18 years ago when I had sarcoma that had grown into the intestines, to remove the 4.8kg lump the whole soft squidgy bit had to be cut open. The mass was from left bottom rib to top of right hip.
This cut is central, resections of the intestines worked fine so no stoma needed, but all the surgery left me with lots of sticky bits, things attached to others in weird and wonderful ways.
It took a good 10 years for me to experience no discomfort when being shaken about, cars and trains. Sit in the middle of a carriage so it doesn’t move as much as sitting at the end, and take main roads rather than back roads.
I can’t remember how long the first one took to feel normal, probably six months or so.
No real issues with this one, but they tried using a single nylon stitch for the whole wound, the idea being you cut off the end and pull the one stitch out.
That didn’t work, took a few hours of yanking to get it out which opened the wound, which got infected,
This led to serious eruptions when it burst, hitting the ceiling with puss.
Then another 18 years ago when I had sarcoma that had grown into the intestines, to remove the 4.8kg lump the whole soft squidgy bit had to be cut open. The mass was from left bottom rib to top of right hip.
This cut is central, resections of the intestines worked fine so no stoma needed, but all the surgery left me with lots of sticky bits, things attached to others in weird and wonderful ways.
It took a good 10 years for me to experience no discomfort when being shaken about, cars and trains. Sit in the middle of a carriage so it doesn’t move as much as sitting at the end, and take main roads rather than back roads.
I can’t remember how long the first one took to feel normal, probably six months or so.
Gulp. All at a time when medical procedures were relatively simple. Glad you're on the right side of it.
The nerves around my navel (which is much smaller than it once was) are dead. I cannot feel a thing around that area and it feels weird; like it isn't part of my body any more. Used to be able to get the tip of my finger in before!
The nerves around my navel (which is much smaller than it once was) are dead. I cannot feel a thing around that area and it feels weird; like it isn't part of my body any more. Used to be able to get the tip of my finger in before!
Glassman said:
I had to look the word up.
Laparotomy: surgical procedure involving a large incision in the abdomen to access internal organs. Mine was an extraction point (to remove a section of my bowel) and whilst the surgery was performed laparoscopically, the cut (running vertically through my navel) was made to remove the affected area. The decision to do it in this was because I already had an abdominal hernia and the surgeon did me a favour. Call it a two for one deal.
The surgery was performed about three months ago. My recovery has gone well and it almost feels like 'it' never happened. There has been some slight itchiness around the wound but no other issues. I'm working as normal and don't feel any tenderness in and around the cut area. However, for about a week now, I've felt something, like a twinge of discomfort when pulling myself up from a relaxed/seated position. It reminds me of how it felt when the wound was clipped (post surgery).
Am I about to pop open like a packet of crisps?
Joking aside, how long does a laparotomy take to heal fully?
You're not going to pop open like a packets of crisps and see guts in your lap- that risk has passed now. There is always risk of incisional hernia, or recurrent hernia but you sound like you have done well and are well on the way to being healed up now, if you can't feel a bulge under the skin.Laparotomy: surgical procedure involving a large incision in the abdomen to access internal organs. Mine was an extraction point (to remove a section of my bowel) and whilst the surgery was performed laparoscopically, the cut (running vertically through my navel) was made to remove the affected area. The decision to do it in this was because I already had an abdominal hernia and the surgeon did me a favour. Call it a two for one deal.
The surgery was performed about three months ago. My recovery has gone well and it almost feels like 'it' never happened. There has been some slight itchiness around the wound but no other issues. I'm working as normal and don't feel any tenderness in and around the cut area. However, for about a week now, I've felt something, like a twinge of discomfort when pulling myself up from a relaxed/seated position. It reminds me of how it felt when the wound was clipped (post surgery).
Am I about to pop open like a packet of crisps?
Joking aside, how long does a laparotomy take to heal fully?
I had this in March. Am actually going to post a thread on it which I'll do soon in case it helps others. I ended up with an end ileostomy though which means I have a permanent stoma.
I struggled for a while. It was unplanned...started off with appendicitis but just got worse. I had keyhole first but that failed so they had to open me up.
I was in hospital seven weeks. It was only in late August I started to feel better. I now feel better than I ever have. I hate the stoma but I have got used to it. I'm even now learning car maintenance, unthinkable for me previously.
Apparently it is up to a year to fully recover. I feel recovered now, eight months on, but I'm told things will still be going on inside me but I won't notice.
Scott
I struggled for a while. It was unplanned...started off with appendicitis but just got worse. I had keyhole first but that failed so they had to open me up.
I was in hospital seven weeks. It was only in late August I started to feel better. I now feel better than I ever have. I hate the stoma but I have got used to it. I'm even now learning car maintenance, unthinkable for me previously.
Apparently it is up to a year to fully recover. I feel recovered now, eight months on, but I'm told things will still be going on inside me but I won't notice.
Scott
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