all about infections

[nudist]

Since I am 1 week post-op and ending my antibiotics, my biggest concern going forward is preventing an infection.

I know a discussion in the "tough lesson learnt" thread has helpful info, but I thought it might be valuable for those of us recovering now and those who will follow to have a consolidation of experiences and information that others can offer in this thread.

If you have experienced a post op infection, could you share as much as possible about it? such as:

* how long post op did it occur?
* what type?
* how was it treated?
* how did you discover it?
* what do you think caused it?
* how do you think it could have been prevented? what would you have done differently?
* what have you learned from the experience or from your dr. that might help others avoid it?
* what recommended "best practices" do you have for others post-op? (all my dr. told me was "keep it clean and dry")

I know a lot of this info is scattered around the board, so don't hesitate to cut and paste if you see something helpful and perhaps Larry could copy some posts from elsewhere...?

Thanks greatly. I know I will appreciate anything you guys can offer and so will many that will follow us.

[Larry10625]

[quote="nudist"]Since I am 1 week post-op and ending my antibiotics, my biggest concern going forward is preventing an infection.

I know a discussion in the "tough lesson learnt" thread has helpful info, but I thought it might be valuable for those of us recovering now and those who will follow to have a consolidation of experiences and information that others can offer in this thread.

If you have experienced a post op infection, could you share as much as possible about it? such as:

* how long post op did it occur? one month
* what type? sepsis
* how was it treated? remove implant and high doses of antibiotics
* how did you discover it? temperature and hallucinations
* what do you think caused it? I would love to know
* how do you think it could have been prevented? what would you have done differently? I would love to know
* what have you learned from the experience or from your dr. that might help others avoid it? Since I don't know what caused it, I don't know how to prevent it
* what recommended "best practices" do you have for others post-op? (all my dr. told me was "keep it clean and dry") Use polysporin, dressings and monitor temperature closely

Larry

[medhatg]

- how long post op did it occur: 6 weeks.
* what type: staph infection in the scrotum skin. I noticed part of the skin at the incision started to become shiny and smooth. a couple of days later, it opened up and puss oozed out of it. This was accompanied with dull pain at the groin. The doctor attributed the pain to the lynph nodes reacting to the infection so that is your warning sign right there.
* how was it treated? Currently under treatment: oral antibiotic plus topical antibiotic ointment.
* how did you discover it: see above.
* what do you think caused it: hygiene related. Not washing after sex and sitting around naked on couches and furniture. Pumping without washing/sanitizing my hands.
* how do you think it could have been prevented? what would you have done differently: always wear underwear. Always wash the area. Always wash your hands before touching the area. Pee and Wash thoroughly after sex.
* what have you learned from the experience or from your dr. that might help others avoid it: if you feel a dull pain in the groin then something is cooking and better seek medical help right away. If you think an infection is there go to "Emergency". Don't be-little any infection. If you wait until you get a fever, it is TOO LATE. Emergency doctors and triage nurses take it very seriously when they hear that you've an implant.
* what recommended "best practices" do you have for others post-op? (all my dr. told me was "keep it clean and dry"): Like I said, keep it clean ALWAYS. Always remember that vaginas have lots of germs. I read about people getting infection because they had sex early. That is totally true. May be it is worth waiting for the 8 week mark.
Hope this helps.

[nudist]

thank you both. i think this valuable information for me and many other who will follow us down this road.

[medhatg]

I'd also maintain extra level of hygiene at your home, place of work and car for at least 6 months post-op. Remember the hospital environment: wipe remote controls and keyboards with Lysol disinfectant wipes, wipe surfaces with Lysol disinfectant wipes, have hand sanitizer everywhere, use it and encourage others to use it, avoid hand-shakes/hugs and touching other living creatures (humans/pets) where possible, take a shower every time you have a bowel movement, wash towels and bedding more often then dry them using extra-hot cycle on your dryer, use disinfectants on the floor, shower with antiseptic soap, keep your nails short, beware of pets around you, use polysporin or other antibiotic cream on your scrortum, ignore people who call you paranoid (seriously). Remember, nothing is worse than getting an infection. If you have to travel and stay at a hotel, spend time disinfecting your surroundings.

[BustedBob]

I picked up a urinary infection and puss coming from the wound site-hot and cold sweats, I was re-admitted a week after the initial surgery for a couple of days and given a two week course of antibiotics.
No signs of infection from week 2.

[TANGERINE]

FIRST, here is the good news: from the below referenced article, the incidence of infection is around 1.4%. So your odds are very good that this will not happen to you.

SECOND: Here is an article all about implant infections.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126071/pdf/10.1177_1756287210370330.pdf

The abstract from the article reads as follows:

Current approach to the treatment of penile implant infections
John J. Mulcahy
Ther Adv Urol. 2010 Apr; 2(2): 69–75.

Modern penile implants, introduced to the market almost four decades ago, have provided a predictable and reliable treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) despite the development of less-invasive therapies. Infection associated with the placement of these devices does occur, and with prophylactic measures and protocols the incidence has decreased fortunately. In the presence of an infection the implant and all foreign material should be removed. A salvage procedure, during which the wound is thoroughly washed with antiseptic solutions after device removal and placement of a new implant during the same procedure, has a high success rate and is becoming a popular approach. The alternative, device removal with return at a later date for placing a new implant, entails a more difficult corporal dilation, and the resulting erection is noticeably shorter. Patient and partner satisfaction with a penile implant is the highest among all of the treatments for ED.

And with regards to symptoms and timing of infection, the following couple sentences are pertinent:

Signs and symptoms of a penile implant infection may be subtle or dramatic. Fishman and colleagues found that 56% of infections were manifest within 7 months of surgery, 36% between 7 and 12 months, and 2.6% after 5 years [Fishman et al. 1987]. Increasing pain at the surgical site or over prosthetic parts, fever, cellulitis, fluctuance around parts of the device, or purulent drainage from the wound, especially after pressing on implant parts, are signs that an infection is present. Prolonged fixation of the pump to the scrotal wall, especially progressive fixation, is a hallmark of infection.