To be as brief as possible, here's the patient's relavent history:
- Good health and ideal weight prior to having gall bladder removed about 6 years ago.
- Since then, significant weight gain in the stomach along with very severe stomach distention. The distention has often been correlated with certain medications and foods, and at times the bloating does not seem to be correlated with anything known or understood.
- Patient has tried everything to lose this weight and stop the bloat without success...many doctors and specialists have not been able to diagnose & help the problem.
- Patient was admitted for surgery almost 2 weeks ago to correct an abdominal hernia and to add a nylon mesh to reinforce stretched abdominal muscles.
- Patient was sent home after surgery and started bloating and ended up in the emergency room 2 days later and was operated on a second time to repair torn sutures, etc..
- Before 2nd surgery, they had to remove 3 liters of abdominal fluid before being able to operate.
- He's now been in the hospital (one step down from Intensive Care Unit) for about 12 days with a Gastro-Tube drain from his stomach, 2 blood drains from the abdomen, and IV's. He's been given clear liquids off & on but is back to only eating ice chips.
- Yet, his Gastro-Tube continues to drain gastric juices...roughly 3000 to 5000 cc's per day.
- His doctors are concerned about the continual drain from his stomach into the GTube, yet seem unable to understand what is causing it.
What do you think may be going on here?
