What happens after an infection?

[Txagq8]

No oral antibiotics.

They did give me a big slug of antibiotics via the IV while I was in the hospital….all 4 1/2 hours. If I remember correctly I also got normal saline, decadron, and of course whatever happy juice they used to knock me out.

[newbie443]

how dangerous is plastic surgery

Depends again on a lot of things. The one case that sticks in my mind was a past Moderator of this section who had a very very bad infection and first surgery. He was in Canada. He did have a number of surgeries by a Plastic Surgeon and and also buy a Urologist considered by him to be the best in the world in Canada. He was basically one of those very rare ones that should have been a game over but he was able to fight back and last I know is he is doing well with his implant.

[newbie443]

Did anyone have their surgeon prescribe antibiotics after their surgery? Seems like a good precaution. At least initially.

Yes. I had this with my first. With my repair I had IV antibiotics before the surgery and do not remember oral meds after. But I could have and just don't remember.

[Agfa13]

Yeah, I was prescribed before he referred me to his colleagues.
I was ok for about a week, then I was itchy like you would not believe!
That was when I went earlier then scheduled to the colleague. He said I was allergic to the sulfate, big time! He prescribed presnidose<sp> and I immediately went to the pharmacy to have it filled...relief in an hour or so:)!

[Waynetho]

Yeah, I was prescribed before he referred me to his colleagues.
I was ok for about a week, then I was itchy like you would not believe!
That was when I went earlier then scheduled to the colleague. He said I was allergic to the sulfate, big time! He prescribed presnidose<sp> and I immediately went to the pharmacy to have it filled...relief in an hour or so:)!

Prednisone, a steroid that is used to reduce allergic response. Usually it is given in a graduated dosage, starting with one in the first dose, then two on the next, three on the following, then four and so on.

[Agfa13]

Yeah, I think I followed something like that when I was on it.
'Script lasted for about 2 weeks, but I was grateful after that 1st hour.
Even after that, everything looked 'normal'. I was not experiencing any pain, no distorted balls, cock, or abdomen, but shit, those 2"...

[Dogmeat]

This is like many of the things with implant. Some depend on us and some with the doctor. As Waynetho posted it depends on the severity of the infection and also your treating doctor. If caught early it can be treated with medication. No surgery. Some doctors are able to do salvage where the device is removed and washed out and another put in. Many do not. they just remove and wash out and will not try again for 6 months. Many will place a malleable in but again some do not. And in really severe cases where it is let go yes it can be game over. But this is where local after care with a really good doctor is important. And why wound care and getting in touch with your doctor at the first sign of infection is so important. Caught early and with quick attention it can be resolved with minimum bad results. But if your doctor does not place a malleable in and you are left empty for 6 months the there is a fair amount of size loss. And even with a really good doctor if not caught early this is a possibility. Only in the most severe cases though is this a game over result.

The bio film that surround's the device can have a lot of bacteria. When I had my repair 3 weeks ago the doctor took 3 swabs of the fluid that surround my pump, tubing, and left cylinder. This was the inside of the Pseudo-capsule that surrounded the components he removed to do the repair. All were negative for infection and I was lucky. I cannot remember the percentage but it was something like 40 or 60 percent of all men have this infection but it is sealed off and not a problem until you have another surgery. So my doctor did the swabs and checked for this. I would guess had they come back positive that additional steps would have been taken. He did do a wash out of my left corporal body and the other components. 3 1/2 weeks and so far no infection. This is why infection rates are higher for revision surgeries than for the first implant surgery. But a really good doctor that takes the proper steps and checks for this can reduce this greatly.

So it is very very important to follow your doctors instruction and have strict wound care. And be as healthy as you can before and after surgery. 3 days prior to my surgery I showered with antibacterial soap, used hibiclens to wash from my belly button to mid thigh, and wiped down penis, scrotum, inner thighs and pubic pad with alcohol wipes. And I had white cotton underwear that I washed in bleach and put in plastic baggies from the dryer to prevent being contaminated. And was very strict on wound care and following my doctors instructions. You can also add a cup of bleach to your bath water and set in this for 30 minutes for the 3 days prior to surgery. This bleach soak was recommended in the past by a well known NY doctor. His opinion was that a good percentage of infection came from the man who was being operated on as it was in the skin.

So what happens depends on many things. My local doctors do not do revisions and would have just removed the implant and done a wash out. But other doctors would have place a malleable if surgery was required. And only in extremely severe cases can this be a game over deal. A past moderator of this board had a really severe case by a not really good doctor in Canada. But did not accept the game over and had multiple surgeries to restore what had been taken away. So even in some of the severe cases there can still be a path back.

So if you figure the odds and really good doctors having infection rates below 1% and then the very small percentage of that less than 1% that can have severe infection then your odds are really great. But you really should not even let it get close to being severe. As long as we do our part and get help at the first sign of infection this is not a game over condition and it can be resolved.

Fantastic post. Your input is greatly appreciated!!

[68CatFan]

With everything tender and swollen down there I'm curious at to how you can tell an infection is starting.

[Agfa13]

Again....depends:)! With me, nothing! But I could not pump.
One weekend, balls swelled up to the size of a grapefruit. I wish I was in the right mind to take a pic of it and show the Dr. Monday morning because he did not believe me...fucker.

[Tmansdorfer]

Mine started like agfa13 but then after a couple days I had fluid start to ooze out of the incision sites on my scrotum and abdomen.