AlloDerm: Stories

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Bad Infection - New York, NY

  • Not Worth It
  • Cost: $500
  • New York City

Had it put in my nose along with cartilage grafts...

  • 13 Aug 2011

Had it put in my nose along with cartilage grafts from my ears. Within a few weeks it got infected and a big abscess formed on my nose near my right eye. It was cultured and drained. I was on Bactrim twice, Cipro and now Levaquin. Also using topical Mupirocin. The abscess is still there one month later and still draining.

So now the Doctor wants to go in and remove all my grafts and the Alloderm. He wants to place my grafts behind my ears and three months down the line put them back.

Honestly I'm too worn down from all this to have to endure more painful surgery. The original surgery was extremely painful and the recovery was harsh. I also had ear pinning done.

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My Doctor: name not provided

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I would advise anyone to never put anything foreign in there body. Use your own tissue.

Comments (4)

ChristopherpBoxer 16 Aug 2011
What may have been the cause was on the ride home from hospital I vomited which caused severe bleeding down my throat & out the nose. After bleeding severly for over an hour my surgeon had me go to ER. The ER Pphysician Assistant packed my nose using inflatable packing against the orders of my surgeon. He wanted non inflatable packing. When she inflated it I heard my nose make a cracking sound. I was only hours from surgery. The Doctor had broken my nose numerous times to set it. My eyes swelled shut within hours after. 24 hrs later my surgeon had me remove packing clearly upset when I told him what was used. He said he never authorized that packing used. He clearly stated to the PA what he wanted and didn't want.
ChristopherpBoxer 16 Aug 2011
What my physician feels caused the infection was from the hospital. The PA filled a plastic cup with water from the sink and dipped the packing in it before inserting in my nose. She did not wear any gloves. The cultured bacteria came back as proteus. This bacteria is found in the colon and is prevalent in hospitals. My physician said my nose was perfect and straight when I was casted. When he saw my nose was deviated and crooked he was shocked and very upset. So now I'm left crooked again and looking at removal of my grafts. Right now I may be hopeful but the Levaquin may be healing this abscess.
Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 18 Aug 2011

Oh my! What an ordeal. I can't believe the PA treated you without sterilising anything. I'm so sorry.

Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 16 Aug 2011

I'm sorry to hear what you've been through, Christopher. :( Alloderm has a really low infection rate, but of course it's possible and you seem to have been one of those 1 in a million cases. Did your doctor mention the possibility that something else might have caused the infection?

Please keep us updated on what you decide to do and I hope you're doing better.

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