So my case from the beginning apparently was not typical. From the time I checked into the ER in the very early morning hours of Friday June 11, 2009.
I was suffering from severe abdominal cramps and vomiting. (read the previous blogs for all the details). At first, they wanted to schedule me to come back for outpatient surgery. Usually a gallbladder operation is quick and simple and recovery time minimal; certainly not normal to have an 11 day stay for it. Once they ran some additional blood test they determined that my white blood count was too elevated to send me home. I was admitted that evening and told that the surgery would be that weekend; something changed, because they decided to do it that night, right after I was admitted.
On Saturday, I refused to go home because I had not met some of the discharge orders and I had experienced that last year after the removal of my appendix. They told me that I would have to go the next day. About 3 am the the next morning, my stomach felt as if it was going to explode and the oral pain medications were not touching the excruciating pain that I was experiencing. They started running additional test, a lot of them for the next several days. They discovered that I had a bile leak and decided to go in, drain the fluid build up that was making me look like I was 7 months pregnant and the next day scope me through my mouth and place a stint where the leak was to give it time to heal itself. Once the GI team got in (ERCP) they reported to my surgeon that the leak was not where they assumed it would be. In fact, it was coming from a different area.
This is an abnormal birth defect that happened when my embryo formed. My liver grew an additional duct (referred to as DUCT OF LUSCHKA). When my gallbladder was removed, the "normal" ducts were cut and clamped, but this extra one, the size of a hair, was traumatized and opened up to start the bile leak that made me so sick. Unfortunately it takes a series of test to determine this and that is why I suffered for a few days. It was totally abnormal and something they would not normally look for. The surgeon did tell me that he looked around while he was laparscopicly removing the gallbladder, but the inflammation was so bad, he could not have possibly seen this duct of Luschka.
The surgeon also told me that I was very lucky and should be glad that I came in when I did. My gallbladder was very sick and infected and if left untreated could have caused sepsis, which could have put me in ICU for a couple weeks.
I'm thankful that they finally found the cause, and that I have some answers for what exactly happened.
He did apologize for the pain I suffered, but pointed out that it was a really cool learning experience for him and his team; in fact, he wants to give me a copy of the x-rays because he will be using them in his lectures from this point forward. He pointed out that he had been a doctor specializing in this for the last nine years and practicing for the last fifteen and I was his very first case of duct of Luschka. He said he had only read about it in the past and wondered if it really existed. I guess I once again, have made a medical mystery show topic; thank God, I survived.
I am following a story about the airman from TAFB that went in on July 9 for a simple gallbladder operation, the doctor nicked his heart valve and cut circulation off to his legs, which had to be amputated because of the mistake. God Bless him and his family. I feel rather fortunate after hearing this story.
Thanks again for following my story!
