It’s been mentioned many times on My New Bum about the ongoing issues with the Ken Butt due to wounds that hadn’t healed. One wound was on the perineum and the other was a pilonidal sinus at the other end. I had been getting both wound dressed daily and over time the perineum wound was improving and it was the sinus that was causing issues but then that changed.
A few weeks ago the perineum wound started ooze a lot more exudate and blood than normal and I suspected that it may be infected. A swab was taken and it proved to be infected so I was given a course of Clarithromycin. I started taking them on a Wednesday and by the weekend I felt good enough to run the Lundy Island Race.
The following week I started to feel a bit under the weather again and the wound appeared to be oozing even more. It was also becoming increasingly painful. As I was still taking the Clarithromycin I was unsure whether the same infection was still lingering, if was another infection or something else. On the Tuesday I called my stoma nurse to keep her updated. My next appointment with my specialist was in September but he asked to see me on the Thursday.
I had seen a nurse on the Thursday morning as part of my daily routine and both wounds were probed to check their depths. The sinus was still 5cm+ which it had been for many months. The perineum wound was probed about 2 weeks previously and was then 1.5cm but had increased to 4-5cm with it tracking backwards.
By the time Thursday came I was feeling a lot worse and the pain and associated feverishness was very reminiscent of a perianal abscess. Due to the room used by the stoma team not having examination facilities we had to resort to me bending over and the specialist taking a peek. It didn’t him long to reach the conclusion that I would need an EUA (Examination Under Anaesthetic) to see exactly what’s going on underneath. As he was due to go on holiday he was keen to get the examination completed sooner rather than later so booked me in for the next day.
Surgery Day
I had been booked into Day Surgery and told to arrive at 0730. As I was an emergency case I would be slotted in where possible and there was a chance that the surgery would have to be performed the next day. Upon arrival I changed into my gown, DVT stockings and sexy underpants (the guy next to me had to be told that they weren’t a hat) and settled into bed with a book. An anaesthetist visited me around 10am with an estimate of another couple of hours.
My specialist, who had been at another hospital in the morning, arrived at midday with some not so good news. The main theatres were incredibly busy so there was a possibility that it would be performed the next day, and not by him. I would have faith in the other surgeon but ideally I’d want it performed by the person that knows my history the best. He seemed determined to try and get the surgery performed before he went away and discovered that the two theatres in Day Surgery were not being used but there weren’t enough staff available. He rallied around and managed to get all the necessary people and within 30 minutes I was out cold.
Outcome
The main purpose of the procedure was to determine what was going on inside and whether there was any connection between the perineum wound and the pilonidal sinus. During the procedure the perineum would would be cleaned and any overgranulation removed.
I was hoping that the two wounds wouldn’t be connected due to any complications that may arise but it does appear that there could be some connection between them. This would hinder healing and possibly may not heal on it’s own). An MRI in the future would reveal the exact extent of the connection and would most likely require surgery to correct. I’m not sure what the surgery would entail but I could have a good guess and I can’t imagine it being a straightforward procedure.
Post-Surgery
The procedure was completed within 30 minutes and I was quick to recover from the anaesthetic but I quickly fell ill and was bed ridden with a fever. Not sure if there is still an infection present but whatever is there is making me feel awful. And then there’s the increased amount of blood that’s now leaking from the wound due to it being opened up.
All That Blood!
A Step Back
Prior to the surgery I had no idea how long the wound would have taken to heal and now that it’s been opened up I wouldn’t be surprised if I have at least a few more months. And with the prospect of potentially more surgery in the future, that healing process could continue way beyond that. At this stage, who knows what’s going to happen for the rest of 2019?
